TREASURER Peter Gutwein will meet with Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten soon to discuss the establishment of a cross-government working group to improve the Tamar estuary.
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Mr Gutwein fired shots at the council over the weekend in an opinion piece where he accused the council of distancing itself from the Tamar’s health problem and shifting blame onto the state government
He said the council was "taking an all care but no responsibility approach to the management of the Tamar River".
Cr van Zetten said the Treasurer had ignored the fact that the council and the federal government had worked for years in partnership to improve the estuary’s health and that the state government should do more.
“The council has long held the view that it should work in conjunction with the state government, which has legislative responsibility for the river, and the federal government to bring about improvements to core infrastructure that have seen the test of time but which no longer meet contemporary standards,” he said.
Cr van Zetten wrote to Premier Will Hodgman less than a fortnight ago proposing that a working group be established – made up of members of the community, the council, the federal government and the state government – to develop a clear action plan and funding program.
Mr Gutwein said he would talk with the mayor soon on the proposal.
“But let’s be clear, Launceston is the largest shareholder of TasWater which is responsible for water and sewerage in this city,” he said.
“The council received in the last financial year more than $4 million in dividends so for Albert van Zetten to be washing his hands of this problem is simply not on.
“The (council) has a key role and central role in this and people should not forget that the vast majority of sewage that has flown into the Tamar River in the last 150 years has been on the council’s watch.”
