TasWater price pause welcome relief
Labor welcomes TasWater’s decision to pause its unfair price increases, but Premier Rockliff’s attempt to take credit is a complete rort.
The pause is welcome relief for many Tasmanians, coming after months of Labor putting pressure on TasWater and repeated called for the Liberals to use their power to intervene.
Premier Rockliff’s Government was never a powerless bystander.
The Premier has neglected to mention that the Tasmanian Government is the only TasWater shareholder with an effective veto over the company’s corporate plan.
But in both 2025 and 2026, voted to approve:
- A 40% increase in water and sewerage charges over four years, hitting families, local businesses, and community clubs; and
- A 50% increase in council dividend payouts, siphoning cash away from urgent repairs despite the crumbling state of TasWater’s assets.
So, did Premier Rockliff and Treasurer Abetz not know their Government had voted for these price increases – or did they simply not care until it made them look bad?
Tasmanians don’t want political spin from a Premier trying to rewrite the history of his own Government’s decisions.
Tasmanians want a Government that acts in their interests.
