Natoli fears water sell-off
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in Council Amalgamations, Privatisation, Water Trading, Water Wars
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31.05.2007
By KATHY SUNDSTROM
MAROOCHY mayor Joe Natoli fears the state government may sell off water infrastructure to the highest bidder as consortiums around the world try to monopolise on the lucrative water market.
“He did it with electricity,” Mr Natoli said. “What’s to stop (premier) Peter Beattie from doing it with water?”
Deputy premier Anna Bligh has strongly denied the state is considering selling off its water assetts.
“All assets will continue to be owned by government,” she said in parliament last week.
“The Queensland Water Commission report does not recommend, nor is the government considering, any privatisation of any part of the water asset system.
But Mr Natoli was confident there was more to the state government’s decision to take control of water away from councils.
“My gut feeling is that there is more to it than what is before us at the moment,” he said.
“It would be good to get the financials as Queensland has about $10 to $12 billion in water infrastructure. Water is a business that is worth something now.
“It’s like putting money in the bank; it is as good as business as you would want to have.”
Caloundra councillor Anna Grosskreutz also believed there was a “predetermined plan for south-east Queensland”.
“We as a state will lose control of our water and that would be the darkest day in political history in Queensland,” she said.
Sunshine Coast stockbrokers have already been advising clients to get on board the water market.
Steve Marshall, of Ord Minnett, said there was a lot of interest in water shares globally.
“It’s not just the drought, increasing populations have added to the interest,” he said.
“After oil and electricity generation, water is the third largest industry in the world.”
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PPP on table for Kawana hospital
1.06.2007
by Carolyn Tucker
THE Sunshine Coast’s new $1 billion hospital at Kawana is among a raft of future public infrastructure projects which could involve equity from the private sector.
Treasurer and infrastructure minister Anna Bligh said the government was examining the potential for a public-private partnership (PPP) and whether the arrangement would be in the best interests of taxpayers.
“The benefits and costings have got to stack up against the risks and liabilities to make a compelling case for a PPP hospital before state cabinet is prepared to commit to this approach,” Ms Bligh said.
“We want value for money for taxpayers and that is what this process will determine.”
Health minister Stephen Robertson said projects with an infrastructure component of more than $100 million qualified as potential PPP candidates, and a committee would be established to “sound out” private sector interest in the hospital and carry out detailed assessments.
“An inter-agency steering committee including Treasury, the Department of Infrastructure, Public Works and Queensland Health will be formed to develop the business case,” Mr Robertson said.
“The committee will undertake a risk analysis, sound out the market for potential private developers, complete a public interest assessment, environmental, planning and other related studies and develop a potential partnership model.
“The business case, incorporating these and other components, will then be submitted for cabinet consideration.”
Ms Bligh said there were PPP hospitals in other states, but that did not mean it would necessarily get off the ground here.
“This has to deliver real benefits to Queenslanders, particularly Sunshine Coast residents, while minimising risk to Government,” she said.
Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Fiona Simpson offered qualified support for the partnership proposal, saying it would need to be clearly demonstrated that it was in the public interest.
“I think there are opportunities for private sector involvement but there has to be a balanced approach,” she said.
“The government needs to define what it is trying to achieve through any partnership and how it would serve the public interest.”
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Hospital delay worry
4.06.2007
THE state opposition has slammed the government over the news it will examine a public-private partnership (PPP) to fund the construction of the $1 billion Kawana private hospital.
Shadow health minister John-Paul Langbroek claimed the move could delay the project up to 10 years and that premier Peter Beattie was playing Coast residents for fools by considering a PPP for the delivery of “vital infrastructure”.
He said the state government had only been successful with one previous PPP and that it took almost five years just to complete the paperwork.
“It is nothing more than buying more time,” Mr Langbroek said.
“Based on Beattie government form on PPPs, the new hospital will not be finished for another decade.
“There are no reasons why the people of the Sunshine Coast should not have a hospital funded from state revenue which has happened in other parts of the state.
“I would warn the people of the Sunshine Coast not to accept a PPP model for delivery of their new hospital unless strict timetables are attached to it.
“PPPs should not be used by the Beattie government as an excuse to delay this much-needed project.”
Treasurer Anna Bligh announced last week the government would examine whether a PPP arrangement would be in the best interests of taxpayers.
“The benefits and costings have got to stack up against the risks and liabilities to make a compelling case for a PPP hospital, before state cabinet is prepared to commit to this approach,” she said.
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