Thursday, May 24, 2007

Push Coming To Shove

Slouching towards Urinetown down in SE Queensland:
SOUTHEAST Queensland councils will be forced to give up ownership of billions of dollars' worth of infrastructure under the State Government's radical takeover of major water supplies.

The Government has accepted a Queensland Water Commission recommendation for the state to control all bulk water assets such as dams and pipelines, while councils will be reduced to retailers that bill households.

The plan has created a new rift between the state and councils, with some mayors threatening increased rates because of lost revenue and the "inadequate" compensation for their assets.

Premier Peter Beattie said the plan would end the "spaghetti nation" of numerous council bodies that control water and create a more efficient regime.

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