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committee's report 

The committee tabled its report to the House by 25 March 2014.

View:    Water Supply Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2014

Explanatory Notes                                                        

 Report No.36, 54th Parliament - Water Supply Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/committees/SDIIC/2014/15-WaterSupServ/15-rpt-25Mar2014.pdf 

Government response http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/committees/SDIIC/2014/15-WaterSupServ/15-gr-6May2014.pdf

The Bill

The objectives of the Bill are to reduce business and government costs through cutting red tape and regulation, increase local government autonomy, and improve transparency and accountability for customers by:

1. providing a streamlined process for water and sewerage connection approvals (utility model) for South East Queensland (SEQ) distributor-retailers
2. transforming the regulation of water and sewerage service providers
3. reducing the regulatory burden on recycled water providers
4. improving the operation of distribution and retail water businesses in SEQ by removing the requirement to publish draft charges and increasing the number of councillors allowed on distributor-retailer boards
5. enabling authorised persons appointed by a water service provider to install certain water meters, in addition to licensed plumbers
6. streamlining appeal provisions relating to dam safety matters, and
7. repealing the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act 1909 (Metropolitan Water Act).

Call for submissions

Submissions closed at 5.00pm on Friday, 28 February 2014.

Public briefing

The committee held a public briefing by the Department of Energy and Water Supply on Wednesday 5 March 2014.

The public briefing was broadcast and can be viewed via this link

Public Hearing

The Committee held a public hearing in Brisbane on Monday, 17 March 2014.

Referral

On 11 February 2014, the Minister for Energy and Water Supply, Hon Mark McArdle MP, introduced the Water Supply Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 to the Queensland Parliament.

In accordance with Standing Order 131, the Bill has been referred to the State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee for consideration.