SA Water

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Water and the River Murray questions regarding the water bill payment processes of SA Water.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: It has been brought to my attention that recently SA Water has changed the processing agent and postal address for customers making payment of their water bills via cheque to a company located in Victoria. According to an explanation attached to customers' bills, this recent change was apparently necessary due to changes in national banking rules; however, it seems curious that such changes would require SA Water to send this particular service provision interstate. My questions are:

1. Why has the service provider and postal address for customers paying SA Water bills using cheques changed to a company located in Victoria?

2. What company has SA Water contracted in Victoria to provide this payment service and is there a comparable South Australian service provider that could do the job?

3. Why can't payments using cheques continue to be processed within South Australia?

4. What is the cost to SA Water to use this interstate service rather than processing these payments in South Australia?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. It is most important particularly to me because I pay my SA Water bills by cheque. I must say that I haven't come across that notice in my bill. Maybe it's in the next billing cycle for me. However, I will take that question on notice. It is an intriguing question and I will, with great interest, ask SA Water to offer me an explanation, which I will then bring back to the council on behalf of the honourable member.