In South East Queensland, the cost of accessing mains water is more than double what people in Sydney pay

Description

Radio National, Canberra, AM, Sabra Lane 07 May 2018 7:23 AM Duration: 3 mins 9 secs • ASR AUD 131,733 • National • Australia • Bond University - Radio & TV • ID: X00074527179

In South East Queensland, the cost of accessing mains water is more than double what people in Sydney pay. For residents on the Gold Coast, this is on top of usage charges that are higher than most other metropolitan areas. Linda Brown(*), Daycare owner, says water has been one of her biggest expenses. Victoria Baumfield, Assistant Law Professor, Bond University, has studied water cost in the region. She says South East Queensland residents pay at least $120 a year to connect to mains water. Baumfield says for most South East Queensland consumers, there is no bill relief in sight. She adds that South East Queensland's water debt is so large that it has been unable to make full loan repayments for the past decade. Baumfield says the Queensland Government's drought proofing ideas have plenty of merit but the cost blowouts on infrastructure ran into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Anthony Lynham, QLD Water Minister, declined to speak to the ABC. He said an independent regulator had investigated South East Queensland Water's costs and recommended fair and official prices from July of this year until 2021.

Audience

127,000 All, 60,000 MALE 16+, 68,000 FEMALE 16+

Interviewees

Linda Brown(*), Daycare owner|Victoria Baumfield, Assistant Law Professor, Bond University

Also broadcast from the following 8 stations

Radio National (Sydney), Radio National (Melbourne), Radio National (Brisbane), Radio National (Perth), Radio National (Hobart), Radio National (Adelaide), Radio National (Darwin), Radio National (Newcastle)

Subject

Radio National nationwide AM radio broadcast.