“ ... we have to ensure maintenance schedules are continued and improved, and infrastructure to cater for ongoing growth” - Jim Soorley
SUNSHINE COAST and Moreton Bay councils have launched their new water business – Unitywater. Unitywater will be one of three water supply and sewerage services distribution and retail businesses established in South East Queensland under the State Government’s water reform measures. It will be independently operated and governed by a board, but jointly owned by the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay Regional Councils as shareholders.
Former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Jim Soorley, has been appointed as Unitywater’s inaugural chairman. The launch of Unitywater and appointment of its chairman means the two councils hand over the ongoing, day-to-day decision-making required to set up Unitywater and in due course, the two councils will become joint shareholders. Until 30 June this year, water supply and sewerage services will continue to be provided by the respective councils and charged through rates notices.
Jim Soorley’s knowledge and experience in south east Queensland local government and business are seen as invaluable assets for delivering a high quality of service. CEO of Unitywater, Jon Black says customers should expect no change to the services they receive. Water supply and sewerage services will continue to be provided by the same people, as existing staff in the two council water businesses will transfer to Unitywater. However, at the launch of Unitywater late last month Mr Soorley said the task of launching the new company was “huge” because the government announcement of new water companies was made even as amalgamated councils were struggling to standardise delivery and billing between the former councils.
“Unitywater will need to ensure it is capable of delivering accounts – which will be separate from rates invoices – to the correct 262,000 addresses by July 1. “At same time we have to ensure maintenance schedules are continued and improved, and infrastructure to cater for ongoing growth is delivered,” Mr Soorley said. “(The new CEO) Jon Black has a huge task, and I’ll have the whip in hand,” Mr Soorley added.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
This is by far the greatest post I’ve discovered on this subject, thank you for generating my day.
January 26th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Why the big jump in therates the previous managment must have had more experence to deliver the same water cheaper or have got somebody who are unable tou do the job
A Turner
March 24th, 2011 at 8:04 am
Here we are folks;
thought I’d do the rough arithmetic for those who couldn’t find a calculator.
Board’s income appproximates out at around $60 million per quarter….or annually; $240 million. Not bad, eh?
Wonder if they might show mercy and chew a bit off for us?
regards from Eddie.
April 2nd, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Amazing that this ex clergyman who discovered that his only True God was actually money was also the man who made sure every house in South East Qld was metered for water usage.
Now with his ground work completed MR Soorley left politics & he moved onto concentrate on his real agenda which is making money from all those meters.
We are being Hoodwinked by Soorley and his unscrupulous stand-over men & women in all these new water retailing businesses.
They get the water for free and pump it to your house from the Dams through pipes that your parents & their parents paid for with their rates generations ago.
The only difference now is that we have to pay exorbitant prices for water to pay for Soorley & his High roller buddies from the big end of towns lifestyles.
Nothing has changed since our grand parents days, other than for Bligh selling off our essential services to greedy evil corporations like Soorley’s who are robbing us blind.
Thanks MR Soorley, it must have been easy for you to forget about all the teachings you learned in the service of the lord. I guess you decided you where better than God & so you switched sides. But know this; although your faith is gone the power is still there & you will be sorry in the long run. You may no longer believe in God MR Soorley but what you are doing is down right evil.
I once heard you say that water is so precious “that in the future wars will be fought over it”. So I guess you are getting in on this early.
September 16th, 2011 at 10:52 am
maui vacations