The Border Watch: March 20, 2009

Weekend

Edition

KEEPING THE SOUTH EAST INFORMED SINCE 1861

Friday, Ma March 20, 2009

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32 PAGES OF

REAL ESTATE

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INSIDE

– Page 38

INSIDE TODAY: YOUR FOUR DAY TELEVISION GUIDE > PAGES 20 & 21

Call to axe levy BY ANELIA BLACKIE Email: [email protected]

A MOUNT Gambier man who refuses to pay the controversial “Save the Murray Levy” has challenged South East residents to do the same. Mulga Button told The Border Watch he deducts the $8.60 levy from his quarterly SA Water account with no consequences. “I just cross it off and nothing happens,” Mr Button said. “Why should I pay it? We down here in the South East don’t benefit from the levy. We have our own water problems to worry about and if we land in trouble with our water, they won’t help us. “My message to residents in the South East is don’t pay it.” Mr Button showed his bills to The Border Watch and the $8.60 he deducted was not added to the amount on his next bill, nor has he received any written warnings or other correspondence. The Save the Murray Levy came into effect on October 1, 2003, to be used for projects aimed at permanently returning 500 billion litres of

WEATHER

water to the river. The levy funds South Australia’s contribution of $19m per year to an agreement with New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT to commit $500m over five years. It is collected by SA Water on behalf of the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC). Residential SA Water customers are obliged to pay $8.60 per quarter, while commercial customers pay $38.65 per quarter, but since its introduction, many residents across South Australia have refused to pay the levy. In May last year a spokesperson for the state Water Department warned that residents who do not pay the levy risked a visit from debt collectors, having their domestic water supply cut off or being taken to court. When The Border Watch inquired to SA Water, DWLBC and to the River Murray Minister Karlene Maywald’s office we were referred from the one to the next. The Border Watch wanted to know if any action has been taken against anyone who has refused to pay the levy, and if so, how many? Continued page 4

Penola bypass legal fight BY JASON WALLACE Email: [email protected]

pSenior Mount Gambier resident Jim Galpin (pictured) has welcomed City Council’s decision to open up its Ferrers Street car park next to the civic centre to one-hour public parking. He said he did not mind parking at the Target complex yesterday to walk to the library, but it would be convenient to use the Ferrers Street facility. “The public would probably be in and out of there a lot more during the day than the council staff are, because they probably park and leave their cars there all day, maybe just heading out at lunchtime,” he said. “Other people would use it for short visits to go to the library and council.” Story, page 3. Picture: JASON WALLACE.

Mount Gambier today - Early fog, then fine. 24o – report page 37

TV GUIDE

Pages 20-21

COMICS

Page 22

THE long-running battle over Wattle Range Council’s $21m Penola bypass has reached the Supreme Court. Adelaide QC Brian Hayes served a summons against the council in the court late on Wednesday. He has acted on behalf of the Penola and District Residents and Ratepayers Association to question the appropriateness of council’s use of the Roads (Opening and Closing) Act 1991 to acquire part of the commonage area south of the town for a section of the bypass route. The area of public land, bequeathed to the community, has traditionally been used for effluent treatment, recreation and fundraising. According to council’s website, acquisition of land required for the bypass was referred by council to the Transport Minister for acquisition by the Commissioner of Highways due to council’s potential conflict with its roles as the trustee of the area and authority for the road.

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