Latest news with #SAWater
ABC News
20-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Development stops on 1,000 homes as SA Water hits cost roadblock
Development has stalled on at least 1,000 homes on the Yorke Peninsula because of unfinished water infrastructure upgrades. Construction has yet to begin on two lifestyle villages in the Copper Coast and Port Wakefield regions while developers and SA Water negotiate cost-splitting for millions of dollars in upgrades. Developer Metacap unveiled plans for the 680-home Riverbend lifestyle village in October 2023 and advised Copper Coast Council the first sod would be turned last July. However, council chief executive Dylan Strong said the project at Port Hughes hit a roadblock which SA Water and the developer blamed on insufficient water capacity. "The lack of capacity within the SA Water network is not unique to the Copper Coast," Mr Strong said. "But it is compounded in the regions of SA that are experiencing the growth that most regions want, but not all of them have. "What's happened over time is the area has continued to grow and the insufficient capacity has gotten worse. Mr Strong said SA Water had carried out ongoing expansion work for "the past few decades" but "not all of those works occurred when scheduled" because population growth exceeded forecasts. With retirees and young workers flocking to the region, he said the council's population of 16,000 was expected to double by 2055 if housing could be built. Mr Strong added that SA Water had indicated there was no capital expenditure left in its 2024–28 business plan, which limited its options. Wakefield Regional Council Mayor Rodney Reid said similar disagreements about costs had beset the Hamley Bridge development, where up to 400 homes have been earmarked by developer Robert Moore. Neither SA Water nor Mr Moore have signalled delivery time frames yet, according to Mr Reid. "Increased revenue through rates on developed properties has not occurred and this means less funding to spend on existing and new projects" he said. "It also means that we continue to have a shortage of housing both owned and rented across the council district." An SA Water spokesperson said "developers are expected to make financial contributions to any network upgrades or expansions". "This protects affordability for our existing customers by ensuring SA Water — and our broader customer base — is not subsidising any realised profits from private development," the spokesperson said. The developer, Robert Moore, declined to comment. In November, the state government pledged $1.5 billion in new water and sewerage pipes as part of its Housing Roadmap, but no additional funding was set aside for the aforementioned developments. With the aim of servicing 40,000 new homes, planning authorities have prioritised developments immediately north and south of Adelaide. SA Water's spokesperson said planning was occurring this year for the water networks servicing Yorke Peninsula, which would "incorporate the latest growth forecasts" for 2028–32. "As part of the state government's Housing Roadmap we are investing $1.5 billion during the current four-year regulatory period to grow and expand our water and wastewater networks in South Australia, where it's needed the most," they said. "This investment will deliver large-scale infrastructure, such as new trunk water and wastewater mains, to unlock capacity for new homes to be built and connect to our networks, specifically across Adelaide's northern growth front. "We currently do not have funding capacity as part of the Housing Roadmap to invest in upgrading our water and wastewater networks outside of priority areas. "In Kadina, some development has been enabled through minor network augmentations, and since 2016 we have invested in water main upgrades, installed larger water mains and valves in Moonta, and upgraded water storages in Lower and Upper Paskeville. "We understand the important economic benefits that developments across the state will deliver and have prioritised engaging with councils and developers in areas like this to understand the specific upgrades required to our infrastructure." The Housing Roadmap blamed South Australia's water woes on under-investment, calling it "a major failure of previous governments at all levels". Local Government Association SA chief executive Clinton Jury said councils were actively rezoning land and offering incentives to developers. "Councils raised this issue at last year's LGA Annual General Meeting because they want to be part of the solution," Mr Jury said. "The government's recent investment in water infrastructure in metropolitan Adelaide is a welcome step, and we now need to see that same level of strategic focus extended to regional areas. "This is a complex issue that's been building over many years, it won't be fixed overnight. We need continued investment and collaboration to support more housing and growth in regional areas." Last June the state government introduced an extra charge to water bills in order to finance new capital works, costing households on average an additional $80 per year. Metacap and Housing Minister Nick Champion were contacted for comment.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Josephine Lim
A mother and her son with a disability waited two hours for an access taxi before a Good Samaritan drove them to an Adelaide hospital. 53m ago 53 minutes ago Mon 12 May 2025 at 5:26am Wildlife authorities say a large marine animal found dead this morning after it was hit by a vehicle on a major Adelaide road was an Australian sea lion, and have described the incident as a "freak accident" — despite a warning from a passer-by the previous day. Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr 2025 at 6:12am The opposition leader has promised to pour more money into a freight bypass estimated to divert trucks from metropolitan Adelaide. Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr 2025 at 3:01am The imposition of US import tariffs is the latest in a long series of challenges for SA farmers, who have battled frost and flooding in recent years, and are currently contending with drought. Thu 3 Apr Thu 3 Apr Thu 3 Apr 2025 at 7:04pm The total reservoir levels across metropolitan Adelaide are at 38 per cent compared to 50 per cent at the same day last year, SA Water data shows. Wed 2 Apr Wed 2 Apr Wed 2 Apr 2025 at 2:24am Adelaide United defender Josh Cavallo, Australia's first openly gay professional footballer, says he still receives daily death threats since coming out more than three years ago. Wed 19 Mar Wed 19 Mar Wed 19 Mar 2025 at 6:59am Media personality Ali Clarke has shared how she was verbally abused and refused a ride by a taxi driver in Adelaide. Fri 7 Mar Fri 7 Mar Fri 7 Mar 2025 at 7:11am Children are skipping school because families are running out of water to shower or wash uniforms, a South Australian mayor says amid record dry weather in the state. Thu 6 Mar Thu 6 Mar Thu 6 Mar 2025 at 5:03am A third man has faced court in New South Wales charged over an alleged robbery in South Australia in which collectable coins worth $1 million, cash and firearms were stolen. Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 3:30am Off-duty police officers have arrested a man who allegedly stabbed another man just one day after after a random, unrelated attack in Adelaide's CBD. Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 1:31am While the SA Premier says a decision to put the Whyalla steelworks into administration is about Australia's steelmaking future, it's also about the many workers, contractors and businesses that rely on it for their livelihoods. Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb 2025 at 10:10pm A gusty change on Boxing Day will keep firefighters on "high alert" in South Australia as total fire bans are declared in five regions across the state. Thu 26 Dec Thu 26 Dec Thu 26 Dec 2024 at 2:40am Italian tourist Gabriele Cairo, who was driving a campervan in regional SA when he caused a crash that left a woman and her parents dead, is handed a suspended sentence over what the judge described as a "true tragedy for everyone involved". Fri 22 Nov Fri 22 Nov Fri 22 Nov 2024 at 2:36am Two men have been arrested and a family of three have been taken to hospital after a fire burnt through 33 hectares of grass in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Sat 2 Nov Sat 2 Nov Sat 2 Nov 2024 at 8:06pm A disability advocate says the death of a woman with "significant" disabilities and who was living in "squalid conditions" is a reminder that change is needed to ensure people do not "slip through the cracks". Thu 31 Oct Thu 31 Oct Thu 31 Oct 2024 at 5:16am South Australian police are investigating whether the death of a 26-year-old woman with "significant physical and intellectual disabilities" was the result of criminal neglect. Wed 30 Oct Wed 30 Oct Wed 30 Oct 2024 at 7:13am The tribunal overseeing energy prices in New South Wales is investigating whether power infrastructure company Transgrid failed to provide a reliable supply to residents in the far west after a second outage within a week. Wed 23 Oct Wed 23 Oct Wed 23 Oct 2024 at 9:39am Residents in the far west of New South Wales will be without power until Tuesday afternoon as the sole generator being used since wild weather brought down transmission towers has shut down. Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct 2024 at 2:42am Darren Brown says he has gone to "every length" to get the hotel he runs properly listed on Google, and that without the visibility the losses to the business have been "immeasurable". Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct 2024 at 2:52am A landlord found to have broken the law by turning a one-bedroom Adelaide unit into an apartment with five bedrooms has lost a legal bid to avoid returning the flat to its original state by early next week. Mon 28 Oct Mon 28 Oct Mon 28 Oct 2024 at 11:49pm David Speirs has announced he intends to quit parliament and pause his Liberal party membership, with police saying he has also been charged. What does this mean for his future and the electorate he represents? Sun 6 Oct Sun 6 Oct Sun 6 Oct 2024 at 9:12pm Former SA opposition leader David Speirs has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance and will face court, police have confirmed. Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct 2024 at 8:54am A man has been left with life-threatening injuries after a car was allegedly driven "at speed" into a crowd outside a pub in South Australia at the start of the long weekend, police say. Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct 2024 at 3:15am With three SA tomato businesses, including a major supplier, forced into quarantine because of the outbreak of a crop virus, workers like Sharon Tarisesei have lost their jobs, and are apprehensive about securing future employment. Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep 2024 at 10:39pm As governments — and social media giants — announce measures aimed to safeguard children from social media, teenagers continue to access popular apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube. So what can caregivers do to help children navigate social media safely? Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep 2024 at 9:35pm
The Guardian
20-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Troubled Whyalla steelworks gets $2.4bn government bailout as hunt for new owner begins
A support package of $2.4bn will be poured into the Whyalla Steelworks to protect thousands of jobs and 'invest in the nation', the prime minister says. The federal and South Australian governments would 'combine dollar for dollar on administration' to ensure the steelworks keep operating, and staff and creditors are paid, while a new owner is found, Anthony Albanese told steelworkers . 'But in addition to that, between our two governments, we have $2.4bn to make sure that this transition occurs,' Albanese said, while visiting the town on Thursday. A day after the SA government rushed legislation through parliament that allowed it to place steelworks owner GFG Alliance into administration, Albanese said Australia 'cannot just be a quarry that exports things overseas, waits for jobs to be created, waits for value to be added, and then import it back'. The funding will deliver $100m in immediate support, including creditor assistance payments ($50m), infrastructure upgrades ($32.6m), jobs matching and skills hub ($6m) and stabilising the steelworks ($384m). The state and federal governments will jointly invest $384m to fund the steelworks' operations during administration, ensuring workers and contractors keep working and continue to be paid. Another $1.9bn has been allocated to investing in upgrades and new infrastructure to ensure the steelworks has a sustainable future. GFG had been under intense pressure from the government to pay debts to creditors of the steelworks and the state, which is owed 'tens of millions of dollars', including $15m to SA Water. Administrators KordaMentha said keeping the steelworks running would 'preserve around 4000 direct and indirect jobs'. The SA government has deferred plans for a $600m hydrogen plant at Whyalla, and that funding will be directed to the support package, as well as $50m from the Whyalla Steelworks Operational Efficiency Improvements Fund. The state premier, Peter Malinauskas, said he was 'never going to allow a taxpayer funded bailout of GFG'. 'Now that the steelworks is no longer under the control of GFG, the state government can partner with the federal government and make the long-term investments necessary to secure the future of Whyalla and Australian steel making,' he said. The federal government also announced a new green iron investment fund to boost green iron manufacturing and supply chains. Up to $500m from the fund will support the longer term transformation of the steelworks, and make financing available to the future steelworks owner to upgrade the facility to produce green iron. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said the government's approach to the renewable zoning policy has been a disaster. 'There's no greater example of it than in South Australia right now. If the prime minister wants to continue this game, then there are going to be job losses in Whyalla,' he told radio 2GB. 'I think the premier of South Australia realises that the game is up, a lot of taxpayer money has been wasted. If the government's continuing to put good money after bad with green hydrogen, then they will do damage to the economy and those local jobs at the Whyalla steel works will be lost.' GFG's owner, the UK billionaire Sanjeev Gupta, said the state was on the 'wrong course' in forcing the operation into administration and he was seeking legal advice, according to an internal company memo obtained by The Australian Financial Review. Gupta last Friday said a debt settlement deal had been reached with creditors of global financier Greensill Capital, which had advanced billions of dollars in credit to GFG before collapsing in 2021.
