State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, has called on the Minister for Water, the Hon Melinda Pavey MP, to give Hunter Water the necessary regulatory requirement to fix the Wallsend flooding issues.
Ms Hornery recently wrote to Hunter Water asking why they had not included the Wallsend Flood Mitigation plan in their five year infrastructure and capital expenditure plan that was submitted to IPART as part of their pricing proposal.
In a response from Acting Chief Executive Officer, Graham Wood, Hunter Water advised that without a regulatory requirement to address flooding, or the support of their customers to fund it as a discretionary item, spending would not be supported by IPART within the existing regulatory framework.
Ms Hornery has written to Minister Pavey and today will move a Notice of Motion calling on the Minister to give Hunter Water the regulatory requirement, whether it be legislative, licence or Government direction, to address the flooding risk in Wallsend.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“Hunter Water have advised that without some sort of order from the Minister or the approval of their customers then the work required to address the flooding risks in Wallsend cannot be paid for by Hunter Water.”
“It has been more than 12 years since the Pasha Bulker storm and it is disappointing that Hunter Water have finally announced they are not able to do anything to fix the issue.”
“I have written to the Minister and will today move a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament asking the Minister to give Hunter Water the regulatory requirement to do the necessary work required to address flooding in the Wallsend CBD.”
“We have seen the City of Newcastle step up and find funds to start to fix the bridges in the Wallsend CBD and the work required to be done by Hunter Water is vital if we are going to fix the flooding issue.”
“This is the final sitting day of the year so I hope the Minister is listening to what the Wallsend electorate is asking for.”