❓ Mr. Catania questions the Minister for Water about fixed water service charges for regional businesses during visitor shutdowns. The Minister defends the current charging system, highlighting its long-standing implementation, including during the National Party's tenure.
AnsweredQoN 331Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER CORPORATION —
SERVICE CHARGES
331. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the fixed water service
charge faced by businesses in the regions shut off to visitors for toilets not
being used, with examples of costs being
billed in the period in, for example, Carnarvon at $3 551 for 30 toilets,
Geraldton at $6 794 for 64 toilets and Shark Bay at $2 832 for 27
toilets. When will the minister remove the toilet tax that is crippling
regional businesses?
SERVICE CHARGES
331. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the fixed water service
charge faced by businesses in the regions shut off to visitors for toilets not
being used, with examples of costs being
billed in the period in, for example, Carnarvon at $3 551 for 30 toilets,
Geraldton at $6 794 for 64 toilets and Shark Bay at $2 832 for 27
toilets. When will the minister remove the toilet tax that is crippling
regional businesses?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member—I was
going to say for ''Claremont'', but I will say ''north
west coastal''—for the question. Before I answer his question, I
might take this opportunity to thank the staff at the Water Corporation, Aqwest
and Busselton Water for the efforts they have put in during the COVID-19
crisis. Those three water utilities are part of the army of unsung heroes in
the state who have ensured that essential services continued during this
crisis. I know they put a lot of work into ensuring continuity of supply, so I want
to take this opportunity to thank them. It is my first opportunity to thank
them for the work that they do.
In respect of the member for North
West Central's question, I made the comment that the member for Warren–Blackwood
has a habit of writing to me and complaining about things and policies that he
had in place when he was in government. The member for North West Central's
question and his complaint are another good example of the Nationals WA doing
just that. He has been raising a campaign, if we can call it that, about the
way the state charges for wastewater. The way we currently charge for
wastewater is exactly the way that the state has done it for many years,
including when the Leader of the Nationals WA and the member for Warren–Blackwood
were Ministers for Water. For eight and a half years the National Party charged
for wastewater services for business customers on the basis of the number of
fixtures. The National Party, when in government, thought this was a perfectly
reasonable way to charge for wastewater.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Now that the
National Party is in opposition, all of a sudden it is a policy —
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the National Party, I call you
to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Now that the
National Party is in opposition, it thinks it is a policy that needs to change.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, you will have the opportunity for a supplementary question.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I will give
the member for North West Central an example, because either he is being
disingenuous or he just does not
understand how the policy works. The
state government has just upgraded the Water Corporation wastewater
treatment plant in Margaret River. It cost $19 million to do that so the
economy in Margaret River, largely tourism
and the like, can continue to grow and so that when accommodation providers
expand their businesses , the wastewater system is able to accommodate
it. Of course, the wastewater system has to accommodate that level of peak
flow. We cannot increase the size —
Mr V.A. Catania : Don't
you charge for the water in and out?
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The member
for North West Central has no idea. Does he expect us to charge the little coffee
shops or the little businesses in Margaret River that have one or two fixtures
to pay for the $19 million expansion of the Margaret River wastewater treatment
plant, or should a greater share —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood.
Mr V.A. Catania : What about
on consumption?
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I gave you a couple of opportunities. I call you to order
for the first time. Members, I am sure the minister is going to get to the
point.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is
completely hypocritical of the member for North West Central to criticise and
call for a change to a structure of payment for wastewater charges for business
that for many years, including when the National Party had two ministers —
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The Leader of
the Nationals WA interjected a little earlier and asked whether we were going
to do some different things for people as a result of COVID-19. I previously
said that is an issue we are looking at in the same way that we have done a range
of things.
Ms M.J. Davies : They're
going out of business.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The Leader of
the Nationals WA says that it is not happening quick enough.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Nationals WA, I call you to order for the second time. It is question time, not
question and answer at the same time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When the
Leader of the Nationals WA was sitting on the throne as Minister for Water, she
was perfectly happy to administer this so-called toilet tax and when people
wrote to her and complained to her about it, she sat on the throne and wrote
back that it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister,
through the Chair.
Mr D.J. KELLY : She wrote
back to all those people who complained and said that it was a perfectly
reasonable way to charge for those services.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members will
get a supplementary in a moment. Minister, I am sure you are getting near the
end.
Mr D.J. KELLY : We are
currently looking at what we can do about the COVID-19 circumstances and when
we make a decision, we will announce it.
going to say for ''Claremont'', but I will say ''north
west coastal''—for the question. Before I answer his question, I
might take this opportunity to thank the staff at the Water Corporation, Aqwest
and Busselton Water for the efforts they have put in during the COVID-19
crisis. Those three water utilities are part of the army of unsung heroes in
the state who have ensured that essential services continued during this
crisis. I know they put a lot of work into ensuring continuity of supply, so I want
to take this opportunity to thank them. It is my first opportunity to thank
them for the work that they do.
In respect of the member for North
West Central's question, I made the comment that the member for Warren–Blackwood
has a habit of writing to me and complaining about things and policies that he
had in place when he was in government. The member for North West Central's
question and his complaint are another good example of the Nationals WA doing
just that. He has been raising a campaign, if we can call it that, about the
way the state charges for wastewater. The way we currently charge for
wastewater is exactly the way that the state has done it for many years,
including when the Leader of the Nationals WA and the member for Warren–Blackwood
were Ministers for Water. For eight and a half years the National Party charged
for wastewater services for business customers on the basis of the number of
fixtures. The National Party, when in government, thought this was a perfectly
reasonable way to charge for wastewater.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party!
Mr D.J. KELLY : Now that the
National Party is in opposition, all of a sudden it is a policy —
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the National Party, I call you
to order for the first time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : Now that the
National Party is in opposition, it thinks it is a policy that needs to change.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, you will have the opportunity for a supplementary question.
Mr D.J. KELLY : I will give
the member for North West Central an example, because either he is being
disingenuous or he just does not
understand how the policy works. The
state government has just upgraded the Water Corporation wastewater
treatment plant in Margaret River. It cost $19 million to do that so the
economy in Margaret River, largely tourism
and the like, can continue to grow and so that when accommodation providers
expand their businesses , the wastewater system is able to accommodate
it. Of course, the wastewater system has to accommodate that level of peak
flow. We cannot increase the size —
Mr V.A. Catania : Don't
you charge for the water in and out?
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The member
for North West Central has no idea. Does he expect us to charge the little coffee
shops or the little businesses in Margaret River that have one or two fixtures
to pay for the $19 million expansion of the Margaret River wastewater treatment
plant, or should a greater share —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood.
Mr V.A. Catania : What about
on consumption?
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I gave you a couple of opportunities. I call you to order
for the first time. Members, I am sure the minister is going to get to the
point.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is
completely hypocritical of the member for North West Central to criticise and
call for a change to a structure of payment for wastewater charges for business
that for many years, including when the National Party had two ministers —
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
North West Central, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The Leader of
the Nationals WA interjected a little earlier and asked whether we were going
to do some different things for people as a result of COVID-19. I previously
said that is an issue we are looking at in the same way that we have done a range
of things.
Ms M.J. Davies : They're
going out of business.
Mr D.J. KELLY : The Leader of
the Nationals WA says that it is not happening quick enough.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Nationals WA, I call you to order for the second time. It is question time, not
question and answer at the same time.
Mr D.J. KELLY : When the
Leader of the Nationals WA was sitting on the throne as Minister for Water, she
was perfectly happy to administer this so-called toilet tax and when people
wrote to her and complained to her about it, she sat on the throne and wrote
back that it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister,
through the Chair.
Mr D.J. KELLY : She wrote
back to all those people who complained and said that it was a perfectly
reasonable way to charge for those services.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members will
get a supplementary in a moment. Minister, I am sure you are getting near the
end.
Mr D.J. KELLY : We are
currently looking at what we can do about the COVID-19 circumstances and when
we make a decision, we will announce it.
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