The 4350water Blog highlights some of the issues relating to proposals for potable reuse in Toowoomba and South East Qld. 4350water blog looks at related political issues as well.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Anna Bligh axes Nosworthy's QWC - folds staff into DPI ...

This will be tough news for the QWC staffers surfing the blogs while eating their cornflakes.

QWC was chewing through $28 million per year.

No more.

Water Commission budget slashed to pay for tax breaks

24 February 2009

The Queensland Water Commission will have its budget slashed by almost half to pay for payroll tax concessions for businesses to employ apprentices and trainees.

In Townsville on the first full day of campaigning for the March 21 election, Premier Anna Bligh announced that the commission would have its budget cut by $15 million over two years to pay for the payroll tax incentives.

Ms Bligh said the commission, headed by Elizabeth Nosworthy, would be merged with the Department of Primary Industries but that no jobs would be lost in the move.

Instead, public awareness campaigns would be cut as "Queenslanders had got the message on saving water".


See - QWC axed by Bligh - merged into DPI.

Wonder how much they paid the QWC staff to monitor the 4350water blog ...

Update - Nosworthy to stay on - for a while:

Ms Bligh said the Queensland Water Commission board would remain in place, including chairwoman Elizabeth Nosworthy, who is a member of several boards of public companies and has had to face up to various corporate troubles in those areas while she has been chair of QWC.

See - QWC Board to keep drawing their salaries.

Nosworthy is running out of Boards to sit on as these companies collapse.  Any that actually manage to survive are unlikely to want to keep her on ...

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

From smh.com.au

"And if you think you had a bad year, spare a thought for Elizabeth Nosworthy. She guided Commander Communications into the loving embrace of receivers, helped steer Babcock & Brown to the brink and, as the year closes, is poised for a trifecta, pulling the pacemaker on heart starter Ventracor."

10:51 PM, February 24, 2009

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brisbane Times:

Bligh offers payroll tax relief

February 24, 2009

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has announced a plan that links hiring an apprentice to payroll tax exemptions.

Under the plan, announced on the second day of the state election campaign in Townsville, employers who hire an apprentice or trainee will get a rebate of 125 per cent of that trainee's wages off their payroll tax for another employee.

It means a business with 20 employees including five apprentices could pay no payroll tax for their entire workforce.

The plan is expected to cost the government $15 million, which will be paid for out of cuts to the Queensland Water Commission's (QWC) $37 million advertising budget.

Ms Bligh said the QWC no longer needed such an aggressive campaign now that huge water savings had been made in southeast Queensland.

10:59 PM, February 24, 2009

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It rained, Capt Bligh! Did it ever.
Recycled sewerage not off the agenda - merely postponed. Bribes to employers just to get over the line.

9:27 AM, February 25, 2009

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is the QWC being folded into the Department of Primary Industries (and Fisheries) and not Natural Resources and Water

Something smells here

1:49 PM, February 27, 2009

 
Blogger Concerned Ratepayer said...

Different press reports have indicated DPI and DNRW. Expect it to be DNRW.

8:56 PM, February 27, 2009

 

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