[Greens-Media] Greens to raise water restriction loophole in
parliament
John Kaye
John.Kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Sun Sep 23 10:21:33 EST 2007
Greens to raise water restriction loophole in parliament
Media release: 23 September 2007
Wealthy Sydney residents are able to buy their way out of level 3 restrictions by having water from Sydneys storages delivered in tankers, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Dr Kaye said: "Topping up water tanks for outer-suburban households that depend on them is an entirely legitimate activity.
"What is not reasonable is rich people buying their way out of restrictions using water tankers that are filled from Sydney Waters standpipes.
"Water is water is water. It doesn't matter how it is delivered. It should be subject to exactly the same restrictions.
"Just because it arrived in a tanker rather than out of a pipe does not mean it has any less effect on Sydney's storage levels.
"Sydney Water is imposing one rule for the wealthy and another for the rest of us.
"The integrity of water restrictions is being undermined by Sydney Waters rules for carriers which allow those who can afford to have water delivered by tankers to squander it on their gardens and cleaning cars.
"If the Iemma government wants to introduce some form of drought pricing to replace restrictions then we should have that debate.
"Creating back door loopholes for the very wealthy is no way to introduce drought pricing.
"The state government has created the entirely irrational situation where the water tankers make a massive profit on reselling water to households who are using the loophole to avoid restrictions.
"This is entirely irrational and should be fixed.
"The Greens will raise this issue when parliament sits this week.
"If Minister Rees wants restrictions to only apply to ordinary folk and to allow the very wealthy to buy their way out of them, then let him say so and lets have that debate," Dr Kaye said.
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
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