PIAC made a submission to the first stage of a comprehensive review of the way water businesses are regulated in NSW. PIAC supported the scope of IPART’s review and made a number of detailed comments on improving aspects of it. Most importantly PIAC strongly recommended IPART consider the development of an overarching objective for water regulation that can frame the development and application of regulation in the long term interests of NSW consumers and community. This objective, along with other aspects of water regulation, must be driven by meaningful stakeholder engagement by water businesses, IPART and the NSW Government and its agencies. PIAC highlighted the need to transparently link water regulation to water planning and policy, developed and evaluated through effective engagement with the NSW community and its stakeholders.
