The vast majority of ratepayers in the Northern Midlands are farmers or landowners who do not use the services of TasWater for water or sewerage. This money would be better spent on services that rural ratepayers have requested such as weed and vegetation management where on some roadsides and council land it is getting totally out of control.

After approaches from the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Assoication, they were informed that there was very little money available to spend on these important biosecurity issues including weed hygiene.

I would like to pose the question: why is there no representative from the council on the TasWater board? Surely after handing over the council asset to Ben Lomond Water (TasWater) they would want some say in the management of that asset?

Recent comments by David Downie overlook that the principal reason for the government’s takeover of TasWater is to fix things faster, whilst keeping prices lower.

Nor is this about the state government seeking to profit.  Any future returns the government would be entitled to will be reinvested in continuing to upgrade infrastructure and keeping prices lower.

It is simply not acceptable that eight years after the reforms began we still have 25 towns on boil water or do not consume alerts, sewage spills up to eight times the national average, and only one of 79 sewage treatment plants fully compliant with Environmental Protection Authority standards.

Tasmania is a world-class destination with an inadequate water and sewerage service and the current structure, of 29 council owners, is clearly not working effectively.

By taking over we can use TasWater’s strong balance sheet and the government’s even stronger financial position to get the infrastructure fix done quicker. We will create jobs and strengthen our economy while fixing a major challenge that impacts our public health and our brand.

We’ll also bring forward planning to tackle the Tamar River and the unacceptable overflows of raw sewage– it will require co-operation by all levels of government and we have already announced a Taskforce to get on with this task.

Our legislation will also prohibit the future privatisation of TasWater. While we have a plan for a quicker fix and lower prices, it’s disappointing that local government are spending ratepayers’ money on a political campaign and legal advice about legislation that hasn’t even been released yet.

Tasmanians expect their government to act when required and to govern in the best interests of all Tasmanians – that is exactly what we are doing.

AMAZING the nebulous arguments being advanced by some local government personnel regarding the state government’s strong desire to finally rid Tasmania of its unhealthy human waste disposal (The Examiner, June 19).

It was local government, in its short-sighted actions, that created these problems with the Tamar River and much of the Derwent that are now no-go areas for recreational activities and the frequent impacting of shell fisheries with contaminated water.

Surely all would welcome a more speedy solution to the problems we have with sewerage with costs to consumers contained and council dividends maintained. Just a few egos impacted.