WATER CORPORATION —
RSPCA REFERRAL
535. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to a letter of demand sent
by post and email on 22 May by a senior consultant of Water Corporation's
finance solutions team to a Water Corporation customer and primary producer
located in the agricultural region affected by recent water shortages. The letter informs the customer that if their
water bill is not paid by 30 May, the water flow on their property will be
reduced to a trickle, and threatens that the RSPCA will be notified of the
reduced flow and it will need to determine whether the flow of water is
sufficient for the animals to remain on the property.
(1) Under which
section of which act does the Department of Water have the authority to send
this letter referring action to a non-government entity?
(2) How many of
these letters have been issued to Water Corporation customers in the
agricultural region?
(3) Of those letters issued, how
many had reference to a referral to the RSPCA?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
The Minister for Water has provided the following information.
(1)–(3) I
thank the honourable member for drawing this letter to my attention. I understand
that 10 of these letters have been sent to customers over the past six months.
I am advised that letters referring to the RSPCA were issued in all of the
years of the previous Liberal–National government. The implied threat
of referral to the RSPCA is not considerate or appropriate. I have therefore
asked that the practice cease and that the new CEO of the Water Corporation
review processes for handling overdue farmer accounts, particularly in light of
the current dry season.