White seeks talks on TasWater proposals

OPPOSITION Leader Rebecca White has written to the Premier offering to work with him to progress the Government’s legislative agenda with only a handful of sitting days remaining until the March election.

In the wake of last weekend’s Pembroke by-election, which saw Labor’s Jo Seijka pick up the party’s fourth Legislative Council seat, the Upper House will this week consider a Bill to dismiss the Glenorchy City Council and the phasing out of suspended jail sentences.

Government business leader Michael Ferguson said a report into the Government’s contentious plan to take control of TasWater was not expected to be tabled until midweek and as such it was unlikely that Bill would come to a vote this week.

Mr Ferguson said passing legislation through the Upper House would be tougher due to Labor’s four votes.

“While we won’t be abandoning our core principles, we are open to discussion on contentious legislation,” he said.

“By taking over TasWater, we want to provide better infrastructure quicker at a lower cost for customers and if the Legislative Council have sensible suggestions to im- prove the outcomes we seek, we want to make it clear the Government is also open to discussion about this Bill.”

Ms White said she had written to Premier Will Hodgman requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the Government’s legislative agenda “in an attempt to find common ground”.

“With increased power comes increased responsibility,” she said.

“While we have opposed some politically motivated Bills in the Upper House, the record shows we have helped to pass the majority of legislation.

“Of the 204 Bills put before the Upper House, just six have been voted down.”

Ms White said Labor had yet to receive financial modelling or a business case from the Government for the TasWater takeover.

Mr Ferguson dismissed Ms White’s offer as a stunt.

“I don’t believe her because just in the last week of the Lower House sittings, Rebecca White didn’t even want to work past 6 o’clock to get legislation through,” he said.

“I’m sceptical of this tactic and writing letters to try pretend to be co-operative stands in stark contrast to her and her party’s actual behaviour.”