EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955

Utilities and Services Ordinance 1996

Determination of Fees for Water and Sewerage Services No.2 of 2005

Section 3 of the Utilities and Services Ordinance 1996 (the Ordinance) authorises the Administrator to make provision for the supply and use of utilities and services in relation to, amongst other things, water and drainage and sewerage in the Territory.  Section 4 of the Ordinance provides that the Administrator is to impose a fee for the provision to a person, or the use by a person, of such utilities and services. 

The Determination of Fees for Water and Sewerage Services No.2 of 2005 (the Determination) sets the fees for water and wastewater charges on Cocos (Keeling) Islands and replaces the Determination of Fees for Water and Sewerage Services No.1 of 2003.

It is Government policy that there should be parity between the prices in the Territory and those in Western Australia wherever possible.  The fees set in the Determination are substantially the same as those which apply in Western Australia and are considerably less than the cost of supply.  Accordingly, consultation on the fees was not undertaken. 

The Determination commences on 1 October 2005.