NSW MPs demand answers over NSW Government water deals

Sydney Harbour taken from a water taxi Sydney skyline (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kurnell dans le comté de Sutherland, à Sydney (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Logo of Independent Commission Against Corruption (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NSW MPs demand answers over NSW Government water deals

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-13/mps-question-billion-dollar-sydney-water-deal/4957574
MPS question billion dollar Sydney Water deal

Posted Fri 13 Sep 2013, 8:22pm AEST

Quentin Dempster talks to Steve Whan and John Kaye, two Upper House NSW MP’s who are questioning the relationship between Sydney Water and the Australian Water Holdings company.

Quentin Dempster

Source: 7.30 New South Wales | Duration: 8min 23sec

NSW MPs demand answers over NSW Government water deals
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-13/nsw-mps-demand-answers-over-water-deals/4957002

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has reportedly seized all contracts and documents from Government agencies, including the state-owned water utility Sydney Water, covering its commercial arrangements with AWH.

AWH took over an exclusive and unlimited deed of agreement first established by Rouse Hill Infrastructure Consortium to provide reticulation, drainage, sewage and waste water services to Sydney’s north-west growth centre in the early 1990s.

Fees and charges for these services were provided by Sydney Water. By 2008 the value of these works were reported by AWH to be worth $1.4 billion for servicing 60,000 lots over 20 to 30 years.

But six years ago Sydney Water wanted to terminate its agreement and became embroiled in a prolonged dispute only settled last year after negotiations which produced a new contract for 1,304 weeks – 25 years.

Opposition rural water spokesman Steve Whan and Greens MP John Kaye have told 7.30 NSW the O’Farrell Government should table all relevant contracts and documents.

“We need openness on this. How can you have an organisation like Sydney Water in dispute and voicing serious objection to the awarding of this contract without a public tender?” Mr Whan said.

“The people of New South Wales have a right to know what’s in the contracts, to see them side by side, to work out what’s changed,” Dr Kaye said.

“That’s why I’ll be asking the Upper House to order the O’Farrell Government to table them through a call for papers.”

Regardless of what the ICAC does, the two parliamentarians say they want some “sunshine” on the arrangements so the public can see the public interest has been protected.

AWH is currently headed by lawyer and businessman Nicholas Di Girolamo, a former chairman of the Wests Tigers rugby league club and the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He is also a prominent fund raiser for the Liberal Party. In July last year the O’Farrell Government appointed him to the board of the State Water Corporation, which manages rural dams and water assets.

Mr Di Girolamo declined to comment to the ABC.

CONTRIBED SHORTAGES TO RAISE PRICES THENCE PROFITS

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/icac-seizes-on-australian-waters-link-to-obeid-family-20121216-2bhj2.html#ixzz2H9vHE8HN

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/icac-seizes-on-australian-waters-link-to-obeid-family-20121216-2bhj2.html

Since 1992, the company has been paid $580 million to roll out infrastructure to new housing estates in Sydney’s
north-west on behalf of Sydney Water Corporation.

Australian Water Holdings has extensive connections with the Liberal Party. In the past five years it has donated at
least $80,000 to the Coalition, and has used Michael Photios, a member of the NSW Liberal Party’s state executive,
as a lobbyist.

http://www.measurement.gov.au/measurementsystem/Pages/MeasurementLegislation.aspx

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2009L03479

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013C00022 Division 2.2           Verification, reverification and in-service inspection

 

Qld dam water releases ahead of rain http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/qld-dam-water-releases-ahead-of-rain/story-fn3dxiwe-1226584394597

WATER is being released from Wivenhoe and Somerset dams as Queensland’s southeast prepares for more heavy rain.

Seqwater says the amount of water being released from Wivenhoe Dam will be increased on Sunday morning to about 280 cubic metres of water a second, from 150 cubic metres a second on Saturday.

The dam, near Brisbane, is about 90 per cent full and the aim is to reduce it to 88 per cent

 

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/agl-withdraws-plans-for-66-gas-wells-in-west-20130208-2e3r3.html AGL withdraws plans for 66 gas wells in west

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/agl-withdraws-plans-for-66-gas-wells-in-west-20130208-2e3r3.html#ixzz2KPM3m2yj

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/regions-mines-release-water-fitzroy-basin/1734952/ “We know that six mines were approved to release more than 712 million litres into the Fitzroy catchment on 25 and 26 January,” Save the Reef spokeswoman Dr Libby Connors said.   “Another 35 mines were permitted to release water without giving their volumes.

“If they release at a similar rate it will be adding 4800 megalitres of additional water, that’s almost five billion litres into the already flooded Fitzroy River system.”

 

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