Wyong shire residents do not want corporatisation

An independent survey of Wyong Shire residents has overwhelmingly revealed that the local community does not want its water and sewerage services corporatised under a State Government model.

The survey was conducted last week by independent local company Micromex Research. Micromex was commissioned by Wyong Shire Council based on their professional reputation and expertise in market research.

Micromex interviewed 1000 people over the telephone – a statistically valid survey – and asked eight questions about the proposed new Central Coast Water Corporation.

Key results are:

• 91.3% of respondents said they agreed our local water and sewerage services should not be corporatised.
     
• 84.9% said they agreed that the creation of a third bureaucracy is undesirable
     
• 94.7% said they were concerned that corporatisation would force up the cost of water and sewerage services
     
• 90.1% said they agreed that water and sewerage services should be controlled by a local organisation in preference to a corporation located outside the local area
     
• 93.4% said they agreed the control of water supply and sewerage assets should remain with the local community and not be transferred to a State Minister
     
• 87% of respondents said they agreed that corporatising the Central Coast’s water and sewerage services now may lead the NSW Government to privatise the services some time in the future.
     
• 87.5% said they were concerned that the creation of a separate bureaucracy on the Central Coast will make it easier for the State Government to ultimately obtain dividends from water and sewerage services on the Central Coast.

• 93.7% said they were concerned that foreign companies could control our water and sewerage services in the longer term.

Wyong Mayor Warren Welham said the survey results revealed an overwhelming concern among local residents about the prospect of corporatisation.

“Wyong Shire residents are clearly very concerned about the future of their water and sewerage services,” he said.

“About 91% of people surveyed said they did not want our local water and sewerage services corporatised. They fear this will create a third bureaucracy, force up costs and could lead to privatisation in the longer term.

“Council is also of that view. This is why we have been fighting to ensure only bulk water supplies are included in the new corporation – that is the sourcing of drinking water from our rivers, storing it in dams and treating it ready for use.

“The state legislation, however, seeks to corporatise bulk water supplies as well as all the other activities which deliver drinking water to our taps and provides sewerage and drainage services.

“Council believes these drinking water, sewerage and drainage services should remain with the local councils as they have done for many decades. Now it is clear that the community agrees.”

Council’s General Manager Kerry Yates added: “The NSW Utilities Minister Nathan Rees is claiming that Wyong and Gosford Councils will still have control over a new corporation, its set up, and its daily operations.

“However the legislation clearly states that the Minister has control in terms of having the final say about many aspects of the corporation. This means the Councils lose control and the State Government may take over the corporation in the longer term.

“This is not the model which Gosford and Wyong Councils originally signed up to. The Councils-agreed model saw the Councils retain control of all arrangements and, under this model, Wyong Council was committed to having bulk water supplies moved into a separate body.

“The Council model would have minimum impacts on the local community but would help streamline the current system.

“I now call on the State Government to listen to the community voice and change the legislation accordingly.”

Media contact: Lisa McDermott - 0438 980 445

Page last updated: 14/01/2008