Towards the end of 2010, I was contacted by Infrastructure Australia who sought to brief me on a position paper being developed by them to remove water services from municipal council authorities in Queensland and New South Wales where councils have less than 15,000 residents. In order to create larger organisations that in turn will provide the water services to the communities. Arising from this briefing that I was provided with, urgent contact was made with the Minister for Infrastructure’s who has “advised reporters only of a position of Infrastructure Australia and no position of government at this stage.”
In addition to this advice, verbal advice was immediately provided to the United Services Branch and the Queensland Services Branch - the two branches affected by this project. A briefing was provided to the branches in November/December and arising from this I also sought to be made a party to the Water Reform project being undertaken by the Productivity Commission.
On a number of occasions over the last few years I have appeared before the Productivity Commission in productivity reform debates and discussions from electricity, railways, of course the campaign we undertook to keep waste collection with local government where the Productivity Commission sought to remove it to local government. This later campaign was a significant campaign undertaken by the union and one that showed what we can do when we are faced with these issues. (Should you require additional advice on this project, please do not hesitate to contact me.)
The water reform debate is now the subject of discussions with the Infrastructure Australia and meetings between the USU, Queensland services branch, ASU national office AND Infrastructure Australia are scheduled for the near future..
Please note it was agreed by branches that we would need to see the public document from Infrastructure Australia prior to any discussions being undertaken with Infrastructure Australia. That document has only become available in the first week of February and discussions will be held with Infrastructure Australia and the union within the third or fourth weeks of February.
Update – meeting with Infrastructure Australia (I.A.). this past week - Meet with IA Senior Managers with carriage of the project at their Head Office (Sydney ) on Wednesday 23rd Feb. this was our opportunity to convey the views of ASU NSW and Qld regional Local Govt Branches on the key recommendations of, the I.A. report and submission to the Productivity Commission review.
As per previous discussion with Branches we, have had common ground on skills and training, licencing, national water quality standards, compliance standards etc.
Our principle concerns have been around the removal of local govt ownership and authority that may have been replaced by a corporations model, (state or local govt) , which would have seen employment location changes, larger use of private public partnerships , industrial relations frame work changes (state to FWA) .
Ours and other parts of the industry arguments to build on the ‘local government alliance ‘proposal, in favour of the ‘county council model ‘ and or pure local council retention models, has been accepted by I.A. and positive re-evaluation of the ‘ county council model ‘ and or pure local council retention models, will be included which we expect to now be the favoured model of IA submission to the productivity commission.
The meeting with I.A. also allowed us to introduced as number of arguments into their work from the UNESCO ‘water is not a business for profit’ statements, the need to bring regional ‘domestic’ Australia water access and standards up to international agency UN etc as well as the efficiencies, benefits and quality public services of public and municipal water ownership and operation.
Once appearances are competed before the productivity commission, we expect a report to the national government and a platform for direct funding of regional water services to local government in manner not previously provided. Matters of compliance standard’s, quality and training, access to funding etc, will be national, and beyond NSW and Qld.
This will see opportunities for ASU members in the eastern states (our main water membership - local govt water models and corporation compliance), benefit from skills and training, capital investment, career paths, retention and the preference for trade and certificate operational, greater control by ASU certificate qualified persons over there work activities and workplaces - if the model is right it will be good news for ASU members in the industry and good news for regional towns, cities and villages.
The productivity commission report time has been extended till the late April, with the ASU next steps being –
- Lodge with the productivity commission copies of past work ASU and Branches has undertaken in the area – eg USU branch NSW submission, ASU Water in Australia publication etc, plus copies of pro public and pro local govt work by the PSI and PSIRU.
- Become member of the productivity commission consultative group and round table.
- Await first publication of commission’s initial findings before spending too many resources on our submission.
- Maintain close contact with the Ministers Office and Govt.
- Work with ASU Branches, and industry bodies to achieve best outcome for members and their communities.
