The Liberals have once again let down communities demanding safe water along the River Derwent / timtumili minanya. In an embarrassing mishap, the Liberal Government’s commitment to a Water Catchment Authority was in fact the result of a typo.
Safe Water Hobart championed a petition in late 2024, calling on the Liberal Government to establish a much-needed Water Catchment Authority. A Water Catchment Authority would ensure much-needed clean and safe drinking water from the Derwent.
The petition, and suggestion of a Water Catchment Authority, was welcomed by the Liberals. They said, “the Government does consider it necessary to create a stand-alone catchment authority at this time”.
On Tuesday in Parliament, a revised petition response, dated just one day earlier, was tabled stating, “the Government does not consider it necessary to create a stand-alone catchment authority at this time”.
The Liberals need to seriously sharpen up. Their mistake has misled the community.
Neither the Minister or any other government representative contacted Safe Water Hobart or myself to correct the error. Yet the Rockliff Government spoke to the media to set the record straight. It shows a lack of respect toward the community.
If the Liberal Government cannot include the operative word in a simple community petition response, how can Tasmanians have any confidence in their ability to rush drafting special legislation to facilitate a stadium at Macquarie Point?
Tasmanians need clean, fresh drinking water – not a billion-dollar stadium. The Liberals should be looking at overdue reform of the EPA and properly investing into cleaning up our catchment areas, not just monitoring their steady decline.
The Greens will continue to stand with the community and fight for a much-needed Water Catchment Authority for the River Derwent and other critical catchment areas across Lutruwita / Tasmania.
