Is this a new record for government idiocy?

The Queensland government will pay you $1,000 if you install a rainwater tank. But it then forbids you to use the water for the one thing that you would want a tank for!



Water-saving rebate schemes offered by the State Government and local councils are set to be reviewed following complaints they are too complex and tied up in bureaucratic red tape. Premier Peter Beattie yesterday revealed he would ask the newly created Water Commission to clarify all the rules covering the use of water tanks and other water-saving devices before generous new rebates take effect from July 1. The move came after the Opposition said residents wanting to apply for State Government rebates had to comply with more than 50 terms and conditions.

Mr Beattie rejected suggestions the Government had not properly thought out the plan before it was announced 10 days ago. He blamed existing council rules which forced some residents, including those living in Brisbane, to abide by the water restrictions, including a ban on hosing, even if they had water tanks. "I'll be talking to the Water Commission about this, if you put in a tank then you should be able to use the water as you see fit," he said. "A lot of these were old rules put in by the councils."

Residents have also complained that to receive a rebate of up to $1000 from the Government for installing a water tank, they have to connect it to their toilet, laundry and pool. But because of hygiene issues with toilets, the tanks also need to be connected to the mains water supply which means water in the tanks cannot be used for other purposes such as watering the garden. Mr Beattie said this issue would also be investigated.

Opposition Natural Resources spokesman Jeff Seeney said the water tank rebates were a bureaucratic farce and should be rewritten. "This bureaucratic approach will serve as a powerful disincentive for people to buy water tanks. It's just not worth it," he said. "The rebates won't result in significant savings of water simply because the Government hasn't put the effort into administering them properly." Controversy over the rebate scheme coincided with patchy rain in Brisbane yesterday but SEQWater operations manager Rob Drury said the rainfall had no impact on dwindling dam levels.

Source

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