Toowoomba City Council - geared for fight (maybe) ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Geared for fight

12 April 2007

Council of Mayors South East Queensland members have been asked to remain tight-lipped about last Thursday's discussions over the Premier's take-over bids on water infrastructure.

Toowoomba City Council completed its brief ordinary meeting on Tuesday night and went behind closed doors for a confidential briefing from an apologetic Mayor Dianne Thorley.

Council is geared up for a fight after Peter Beattie requested "detailed information about the water business assets, financials, existing contracts, human resources and payroll systems".


Although the asset value of Toowoomba's water assets is around $400 million, any sale of assets to the Qld government would need to be on the basis of an on-going water supply business, with an appropriate (higher) price based on its profitability (and it is a profitable business for the Council).

Mayor Thorley is yet to reveal whether she has struck any deal with Brisbane to hand over Toowoomba's water assets for little or no compensation ...