❓ Mr. Norberger asks about the government's efforts to update water legislation. The Minister for Water details the Water Services Act 2012, highlighting its benefits including reduced red tape, corporatisation of service providers, and the introduction of a water ombudsman.
AnsweredQoN 785Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER LEGISLATION — REFORMS
785. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Water:
Earlier today the Premier
foreshadowed this week as Repeal Week. With that in mind, can the Minister for
Water please update the house on the Liberal–National government's
efforts to update the state's water legislation and to bring it into
the twenty-first century?
785. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Minister for
Water:
Earlier today the Premier
foreshadowed this week as Repeal Week. With that in mind, can the Minister for
Water please update the house on the Liberal–National government's
efforts to update the state's water legislation and to bring it into
the twenty-first century?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Joondalup for the question. As he well
knows, it is Repeal Week, and it is a chance for the government to go through a
whole stack of legislation that in some cases needs to be repealed and done away
with or in some cases needs to be updated and modernised. The Water Services
Act 2012 has come into effect today and this new law will transform the
provision of water, sewerage, irrigation and drainage services in Western
Australia. It replaces and consolidates about 10 pieces of water legislation,
some of which have been in place for over 100 years. The notion of Repeal Week
to provide a chance to go back over and modernise that legislation is
appropriate. The new streamlined system will dramatically reduce regulatory red
tape, which is a drain on government and industry resources. It will reduce
duplication across a number of different acts. Now 32 service providers in
Western Australia will operate under the same rules, rather than operate under
different rules under the old water arrangements.
In addition to the Water Corporation, two big service
providers, Aqwest and Busselton Water, are now able to be corporatised. That
means they will now be able to provide services that they had not been able to
offer before and to operate in a market to provide bulk water supplies and
sewerage and drainage activities. The biggest benefit, however, will be for
customers, because from 1 January next year the government will be putting in
place a water Ombudsman—an independent umpire to whom people can go to
sort out complaints and disputes about water providers. This is a fantastic
outcome for the people of Western Australia, who will have confidence in that
independent umpire.
There will also be a new code of conduct, which will set a
minimum set of standards for the provision of services. If those standards are
not met —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Girrawheen. I do not know whether you are
reading aloud or making comments. I call the member for Girrawheen to order for
the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The new code of conduct provides a benchmark set of standards
that water service providers will need to adhere to. There will be an
independent umpire available for customers who have concerns or who want to
raise complaints. These changes are long overdue. Given that it is Repeal Week,
it is absolutely appropriate that a decision has been made to get rid of 10 pieces
of legislation and put in new contemporary legislation to modernise what is
happening in water.
knows, it is Repeal Week, and it is a chance for the government to go through a
whole stack of legislation that in some cases needs to be repealed and done away
with or in some cases needs to be updated and modernised. The Water Services
Act 2012 has come into effect today and this new law will transform the
provision of water, sewerage, irrigation and drainage services in Western
Australia. It replaces and consolidates about 10 pieces of water legislation,
some of which have been in place for over 100 years. The notion of Repeal Week
to provide a chance to go back over and modernise that legislation is
appropriate. The new streamlined system will dramatically reduce regulatory red
tape, which is a drain on government and industry resources. It will reduce
duplication across a number of different acts. Now 32 service providers in
Western Australia will operate under the same rules, rather than operate under
different rules under the old water arrangements.
In addition to the Water Corporation, two big service
providers, Aqwest and Busselton Water, are now able to be corporatised. That
means they will now be able to provide services that they had not been able to
offer before and to operate in a market to provide bulk water supplies and
sewerage and drainage activities. The biggest benefit, however, will be for
customers, because from 1 January next year the government will be putting in
place a water Ombudsman—an independent umpire to whom people can go to
sort out complaints and disputes about water providers. This is a fantastic
outcome for the people of Western Australia, who will have confidence in that
independent umpire.
There will also be a new code of conduct, which will set a
minimum set of standards for the provision of services. If those standards are
not met —
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Girrawheen. I do not know whether you are
reading aloud or making comments. I call the member for Girrawheen to order for
the first time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The new code of conduct provides a benchmark set of standards
that water service providers will need to adhere to. There will be an
independent umpire available for customers who have concerns or who want to
raise complaints. These changes are long overdue. Given that it is Repeal Week,
it is absolutely appropriate that a decision has been made to get rid of 10 pieces
of legislation and put in new contemporary legislation to modernise what is
happening in water.
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