Sustainability Report 2006/07Other information
National competition policy
Melbourne Water will submit our 2009 Water Plan for water, sewerage and recycled water services to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in November 2008 to enable the ESC to make a price determination for the four-year period commencing 2009/10.
The 2009 Water Plan will set out performance relative to the expenditures and outcomes included in the ESC’s first determination as well as proposed outcomes, expenditures and prices for the second price determination period.
In December 2007, Melbourne Water submitted its 2008 Water Plan for waterways and drainage services, which enabled the ESC to make a price determination for these services commencing in 2008/09 for a five-year period. These processes are consistent with the pricing and institutional reform objectives of the National Competition Policy.
Melbourne Water is corporatised and therefore has an independent Board, with independent and objective performance monitoring. We face equivalent tax treatment, borrowing requirements and regulations as a private business. As outlined above, we also operate in an environment where the ESC determines cost-based pricing. In this regard, our processes are consistent with the requirements of the Competitive Neutrality Policy Victoria.
Freedom of information
Melbourne Water is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (vic.) and is committed to making documents and information available to the community whenever it can. The designated persons for the purpose of the Act are:
Principal officer: Ms C Batagol Chairman, Melbourne Water
Authorised officer: Ms J Denton Freedom of Information Officer, Melbourne Water
requests For inFormAtion
This year we received 20 requests for access to documents under the Freedom of Information legislation.
We processed these requests as follows:
The applications received related to the following issues:
Grounds for refusing release of documents: internal working documents and/or documents containing sensitive commercial information and/or documents affecting personal privacy and/or Cabinet documents.
Access to documents
People wanting access to Melbourne Water documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (vic.) should write to:
Freedom of Information Officer
Melbourne Water
PO Box 4342
Melbourne Victoria 3002
Each application must clearly identify the documents sought and be accompanied by the required application fee, currently $22.70. General inquiries concerning Freedom of Information can be made by telephoning the Freedom of Information Officer on (03) 9235 7184 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday or via email to:
foi@melbournewater.com.au Information on our consultative arrangements, required under Section 7 of the Act, is available on our website, melbournewater.com.au.
Information on our publications, also required under Section 7, is included in this report.
Categories Of Documents
We use a computerised records management system to manage our correspondence and documents. We use online computer systems to manage our financial, human resource and other operational activities and plans relating to our water supply, waterways, and drainage and sewerage responsibilities. Historical archives on our activities are available through the Public Record Office Victoria.
Pricing
Consistent with the Essential Services Commission’s 2008 Water Price Review, Melbourne Water’s water and sewerage prices will increase by an average of 23.5% in real terms (excluding inflation) for 2008/09. As discussed above, Melbourne Water will submit its 2009 Water Plan for water and sewerage services to enable the ESC to make a price determination for the four-year period commencing 2009/10.
This reflects the ESC’s assessment of the efficient cost of delivering customer, government and regulatory requirements over that period. Further information on bulk water and sewerage charges as well as the waterways and drainage charges is available at melbournewater.com.au