May 7, 2018 Larger families hardest hit by excessive water increases Water increases announced over the weekend by the McGowan State Government are dishonest and cruel, according to Shadow Water Minister David Honey. Dr Honey said by any measure the increases were excessive and claims by the Government they would affect only wealthy households were mean-spirited, incorrect and divisive. “The cost of water for the average household will increase by 5.5 per cent, six times more than the current CPI rate of 0.9 per cent,” Dr Honey said. “How can this arrogant Premier possibly claim this will not hurt families that are already struggling and, in many cases, have not seen an increase in their household income in years? “The McGowan Labor Government is treating West Australians as fools; telling average water users they should be grateful for an increase of six times the inflation rate and take comfort that ‘affluent suburbs’ will be hit even harder. “This is class warfare and envy politics at its worst.” Dr Honey said water use related to block size and the number of residents in a house and would hit larger families hardest no matter what suburb they lived in. “The 16 per cent increase for water use above 500kL a year is more than 17 times the current CPI rate of 0.9 per cent,” Dr Honey said. “We already have a user-pays system, people who use more water automatically pay more. “Labor’s policy to punish high water usage must look at the number of people in a residence – why should a household of six people that uses 600kL a year be punished with enormous charges, while a household of one person that uses 250kL a year escapes with much smaller increases? “Even without these additional increases the State Government is over recovering $338 million from metropolitan water users. “Increases in water usage in Perth have been driven by large population increases while, in recent years, individual households have been consistently reducing their usage.” Dr Honey said the Water Corporation was making large profits off Perth families and it could easily self-fund any required new infrastructure. “The McGowan Labor Government needs to face up to its responsibilities and make proper provisions for adequate water supplies,” he said. “These increased charges are not about cost recovery, saving water or budget repair – they are simply another tax grab to fund Labor’s spending spree on unfunded election promises.” Media Contact |
