Senator Nick Xenophon launched his party’s state election campaign last week, promising to cut the cost of living by stopping SA Water being used as a cash cow.
South Australian voters will head to the polls on March 15 to elect their state parliamentarians.
Xenophon left state politics for the Senate in 2008, but support for his party at the SA election two years before was strong enough to secure two Upper House seats.
The seats are currently held by John Darley – a former senior public servant – who will run again on the party ticket in March, and Ann Bressington, who fell out with Senator Xenophon after joining Parliament.
Mr Darley – who spent 11 years as Valuer-General and chief executive of the Lands and State Services departments in SA – will be joined on the 2014 election ticket by his staffer, Connie Bonaros.
Senator Xenophon says giving the Essential Services Commission “real teeth” over all rates and charges would be key policies, along with pushing for the return of SA Water profits to customers.
The SA government last year made more than $220 million from SA Water in profits. If this sum was returned to households and businesses, customers would receive an annual average saving ofmore than $300 each.
Senator Xenophon said the party will seek legislation to limit electricity, gas and water charges rising beyond inflation, and argue for similar powers over council rates and other government charges.
“Essential services – electricity, gas and water – are just that, they shouldn’t be a cash grab for either the private sector or the government,” Senator Xenophon said.
“It’s outrageous that SA Water provides almost $1 million a day in revenue to the government, when consumers are paying through the nose for water.”
Meanwhile, Mr X – no stranger to the odd stunt in order to drive home his political message – appealed to the Parliament in Canberra to invest in Australian-made goods.
Last week Xenophon drew the media’s attention to a 750-piece Australian-made crockery set which is still gathering dust, six months after he and Victorian DLP Senator John Madigan bought the fine true-blue china to be used in the Parliament House dining room.
The gift – reportedly costing the Senators personally over $10,000 – was made to highlight the fact that crockery used in the dining room was made in the United Arab Emirates.
Last August the Aussie-made replacement was offered to the Parliament via letters to the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. Neither made a commitment to accept the gift.
Senators Madigan and Xenophon have instigated a Senate inquiry, due to start shortly, into the role of government in supporting Australian manufacturing through procurement processes.