Posted on: 26 June 2024
Peter Malinauskas is desperate to mix fact with fiction, attempting to hide Labor’s failure to address crucial SA Water infrastructure prior to promising South Australians he could deliver tens of thousands of new homes during the housing crisis.
As the dream of homeownership slips further and further away for many South Australians, those desperately saving – despite the cost of living crisis – will be forced to fork out even more after another example of Labor overpromising and underdelivering.
Peter Malinauskas said SA Water bills will increase for households and businesses from July 1, with an official figure to be released later today.
The additional financial pressure on South Australians follows admissions from Treasurer Stephen Mullighan last week that: “I think, to be fair, this problem was not evident at this point in time last year, and certainly not evident to the extent that we know now that it has caused some greenfield developments to halt production”.
The last regulatory period for SA Water bills was determined in 2020 prior to COVID, the HomeBuilder program and a subsequent skyrocketing population growth – a time when the former Liberal Government slashed bills by more than $200 on average for households and approximately $1,350 for small businesses.
The former Liberal Government slashed water bills to reverse years of the former Labor Government using SA Water as a cash cow and artificially inflating prices.
Leader of the Opposition, David Speirs, slammed Peter Malinauskas for “attempting to rewrite history when it comes to SA Water bills jacked up by Labor”.
“Every single dollar increase of SA Water bills that hits South Australians during the cost of living crisis is the fault of Peter Malinauskas and Labor,” Mr Speirs said.
“Peter Malinauskas made the promise of tens of thousands of new homes without even checking with SA Water if the suitable infrastructure was in place and what it might cost.
“We cannot forget that the decrease in SA Water bills during the last regulatory period was the former Liberal Government correcting years of Labor rorting South Australians by artificially charging more for water – not reducing critical infrastructure spending.
“We know the promised land releases won’t be delivered this decade – while the housing crisis worsens by the day – and now we anticipate Labor’s SA Water infrastructure debacle will see these homes pushed out into the never never.”
Shadow Treasurer, Matt Cowdrey, said the typical South Australian family is already more than $20,000 worse off under Peter Malinauskas and Labor.
“The cost of living crisis is hitting South Australian families and small businesses hard,” Mr Cowdrey said.
“The price of utilities is one of the key concerns for small business owners in South Australia, many of whom are struggling to keep the doors open, and they are now bracing for a hike in SA Water bills under Labor.
“This is what happens when Peter Malinauskas and Labor focus on housing headlines instead of well thought out solutions.”