The government is one step closer to bringing into reality its controversial TasWater takeover as the proposed reform passed through the lower house on Tuesday.
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Questions of amalgamations, employee support, and legality were all brought up in the debate which ultimately led to the passing of the legislation.
The bill will now head to the Legislative Council to be debated at a later date.
In the Parliamentary debate, Greens water spokesperson Andrea Dawkins questioned whether the legislation was “amalgamation by stealth”.
But Treasurer and Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein said this was incorrect.
Ms Dawkins questioned what assurances the government could give the Tasmanian public that the takeover would not further delay the upgrading of the state’s water and sewerage infrastructure.
“It would be our intention that it would be a seamless transfer … there would be no interruption at all,” Mr Gutwein told Parliament.
Opposition local government spokesperson Madeleine Ogilvie said she had heard from TasWater workers that they felt they had not been given a “fair go”.
She questioned what change the legislation would have on the TasWater workforce and whether there would be programs to ensure staff were appropriately cared for throughout any transitions.
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Mr Gutwein confirmed that no employee would lose their job as a result of the transfer.
“This is an opportunity to get the job done, this is an opportunity for Tasmanians to pay less,” he said.
Ms Ogilvie questioned whether one clause written in the bill was there to specifically stop legal action being taken against the government over the proposed takeover.
Mr Gutwein said he was “very comfortable” that the bill was lawful and would withstand any challenges.
He also told Parliament the government had gone into a specific degree of detail to ensure the assets were never privatised, saying the legislation “could not be any clearer”.
“We just simply made it perfectly clear that the business under us will not be privatised,” Mr Gutwein said.
“The assets are owned by the people of Tasmania regardless of whether they are owned by the third tier of government or the second tier of government.
“We will not sell a part of the corporation.”
A Legislative Council inquiry into the ownership of TasWater will hold further public hearings in Launceston on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
If the legislation passes through the upper house, the government would take control of TasWater from July 1 next year.