Future of the Regional Water Industry
The SEQ Water industry has now changed dramatically from its local government origins and in 2008 Tasmania also restructured its local government water industry from 33 local governments to three LG-owned corporations. This means that regional Queensland and NSW are the last areas in Australia where water services are provided by numerous local governments. In acknowledgement of the possibility of institutional reform in Queensland, qldwater and LGAQ formed a program in 2008 to improve LG access to relevant information for making informed decisions about their future water business arrangements. Activities to date include:
- commissioning research and discussion papers to inform the industry,
- initiating discussion at numerous local government forums,
- convening the Local Government Future of the Industry Taskforce,
- undertaking a broad communications program visiting regional centres during 2009-2011,
- creation of a program to review regional collaboration on provision of water services.
Representation of the industry in strategic discussions were improved in the first half of 2010 by the development of a strategic level water advisory body convened by LGAQ. Increased communications with DERM on the future of the industry culminated in a joint MOA signed by DERM, LGAQ and qldwater.
Relevant Documents
Due Diligence Checklist - Release Date 18-Dec-2009: - Due diligence checklist for local government water utilities developed from the Future f the Queensland Water Industry Taskforce. | Free member download. | (1291KB)
Review of National Water Arrangements - Release Date 01-Dec-2008: - Brief overview of water institutional arrangements across Australia undertaken by qldwater on behalf of the Future of the Water Industry Taskforce. | Free member download. | (1034KB)
10 Principles from Future of Water Industry Taskforce - Release Date 30-Sep-2008: - The Future of the Water Industry (outside SEQ) Taskforce met in Mackay in August 2008 and created general principles that should guide any future changes to the Local Government water industry. These principles were later endorsed by the LGAQ Executive Committee and presented to the Regulator. | Free member download. | (41KB)
Mackay Future of the Industry Meeting - Release Date 01-Sep-2008: - The Future of the Water Industry Outside SEQ Taskforce met in Mackay in August 2008 to discuss institutional models for the industry and general principles on future arrangements for the local government Water Industry. | Free member download. | (825KB)