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State Rivers and Water Supply Commission

  • Corporate body
  • 1906 - 1984

Establishment The State Rivers and Water Supply Commission was established by the Water Act 1905 and the first three Commissioners were appointed in May 1906: Stuart Murray, George Janson and William Cattanach (Victoria Government Gazette, 16 May 1906). Background The establishment of the Commission stemmed from a recognition that there was a need for a single, powerful and independent authority to coordinate and manage the State's rural water resources. The Water Act 1905 therefore vested overall responsibility for conservation and distribution of Victoria's rural water supplies for irrigation, industrial and urban purposes with the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. The Victorian Water Supply Department's responsibilities relating to water and irrigation trusts, water rights and those operations it carried out for the Board of Land and Works (VA 744) under s.283-291 of the 1890 Act passed to the Commission. A few legislative provisions remained the responsibility of the Department's Chief Engineer (eg. reporting on viability of the proposed "national works" under s.293 of the 1890 Act), but these were removed by the Water Act 1909 which formally merged the Department and its remaining staff into the Commission (proclaimed 4 January 1910 - Gazette 19 January 1910, p.274). Stuart Murray, while still retaining the position of Chief Engineer of the Department, became the first Chairman of the Commission. In 1903 he was replaced as Chief Engineer and Chairman by Elwood Mead. The years 1906 - 1909 saw a gradual scaling down of the activities of the Victorian Water Supply Department (VA 2787) and transfer of its staff to the new Commission. Responsibilities and Functions The main responsibilities of the Commission were: provision of advice about rural water resources and management to the Minister, landowners, and client groups surveying, gauging and reporting on surface water resources investigation, construction and management of water supply and drainage schemes for domestic, stock, industry and irrigation purposes oversight of local water, irrigation, sewerage, drainage and river improvement authorities flood plain management, flood protection and reclamation schemes river improvements, stream management and conservation, salinity and water quality control utilisation and conservation of underground water resources licensing of diversion of surface and underground waters. The Commission also acted as the delegated authority of the Environment Protection Authority from 1973 with respect to water pollution in rural areas, and had certain responsibilities relating to soil conservation. In the periods of closer settlement following the First and Second World Wars, the Commission had responsibilities for a number of settlements in the irrigation areas. From 1969, under the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (Special Projects) Act, it was empowered to provide consulting services outside Victoria. History of Functions: 1905 and 1909 Water Acts The 1905 Act vested in the Commission statutory responsibility for: surveys of available water resources and planning for their storage and utilisation oversight of local water, sewerage and irrigation authorities, including administration of loans gauging of rivers and streams and reporting on results boring and exploration for underground water ownership and management of proclaimed "national works" (water works of State-wide significance). The Board of Land and Works (VA 744) continued to have statutory responsibility for construction of "national works", although the actual construction was managed by the Commission. Statutory responsibility for construction was transferred to the Commission by the Water Act 1909. Oversight of Local Authorities The 1905 Act reconstituted local water, sewerage and irrigation authorities, bringing them under the Commission's general jurisdiction. Rural water supply, sewerage and irrigation schemes continued to be directly managed by a variety of local authorities, including municipalities; mostly constituted under the Water Act, but some with their own legislation. From 1958 sewerage authorities were constituted under the Sewerage Districts Act. Increasingly, the Commission took responsibility for construction of waterworks, while local authorities were responsible for reticulation, management and distribution. In January 1984, under the Water and Sewerage Authorities (Restructuring) Act and Water (Amendment) Act 1983, responsibility for the oversight of local authorities passed to the Ministry of Water Resources and Water Supply (VA 641), and the Local Authorities Division of the Commission was transferred to the Ministry. Water Works and Supply Schemes In addition to its responsibilities for construction of water works and oversight of local authorities, the Commission itself directly managed water supply schemes in a growing number of rural areas. These schemes included a number of large urban supplies. Originally the Commission took over responsibility for the Coliban (Bendigo - Castlemaine) and Geelong schemes from the Victorian Water Supply Department (VA 2787). It later took on other urban schemes, including the Mornington Peninsula, Bellarine and Otways systems. From 1915 the Commission became the authority for building and maintaining water works in Victoria under the River Murray Waters Agreement. River Improvement Schemes Following a Parliamentary Public Works Committee of Inquiry in 1945, the Commission took on additional responsibilities for river management and improvement together with the oversight of local River Improvement Trusts (Victorian Yearbook 1984, p.299). Groundwater The Groundwater Act 1969 vested in the Commission responsibility for the utilisation and conservation of groundwater. The Act was jointly administered with the Department of Minerals and Energy (VA 611) which was responsible for exploration and investigation. Soil Conservation The Minister for Water Supply and the Commission were early sponsors of soil conservation in Victoria because of their growing concern with sand-drifts in the Wimmera-Mallee. A bye-law, incorporated in amendments to the Water Act 1942, enabled the Commission to control cultivation of land subject to drift near water channels. The Minister was a sponsor of the Soil Conservation Act 1940 which established the Soil Conservation Board. The Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act 1947 established the Land Utilisation Council to advise on land use in catchment areas and the Council included Commission representation (Victorian Yearbook 1984 p.288-289). Closer Settlement The Closer Settlement Act 1912 (No.2438) transferred the control and administration of land suitable for settlement only under irrigation conditions or situated within an Irrigation and Water Supply District to the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission from the Closer Settlement Board (VA 2266). The Commission thus acquired the power to purchase, dispose and administer lands in accordance with the general provisions of the Closer Settlement Acts, subject to the decision of the Minister responsible for the Acts. Under the provision of s.2 of the Discharged Soldier's Settlement Act 1917 (No.2916) the Commission was granted the control and administration of the settlement of returned servicemen and women on irrigable land. The provisions of the Empire Settlement Act 1922 encouraged approved British immigrants to migrate to Australia for the purpose of land settlement or to augment the labour force. Subject to the Commonwealth and State Agreement of 1922, the Commission had responsibility for the control and administration of the settlement of assisted British immigrants on irrigable land. In 1932 under the provisions of the Closer Settlement Act (No.4091) the newly appointed Closer Settlement Commission (VA 2268) assumed the powers and obligations of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in respect of the settlement and occupation of irrigable lands. In the post second World War period, closer settlement in irrigation areas was managed jointly by the Commission and the Soldier Settlement Commission (VA 2270) (subsequently, Rural Finance and Settlement Commission (VA 2273), then Rural Finance Commission). The areas involved were the Murray Valley, Robinvale, Nambroh-Denison and Macalister (Victorian Yearbook, 1984 p.287-288). The work was undertaken by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission on behalf of the Soldier Settlement Commission under the provisions of the Soldier Settlement Act 1946, s.11(2). Organisational Structure Initially the Commission operated outside the public service. However, in 1939 following a Royal Commission in 1936, officers of the Commission were brought into the public service under the Public Service (Transfer of Officers) Act 1937. From 1939 the Commission was deemed to be the "Department of Water Supply" for the purposes of the Public Service Act, and its Chairman the permanent head of the Department. (It should be noted that the "Department of Water Supply" in all other respects did not exist.) This situation continued, even following the Water Resources Act 1975 which established a Ministry of Water Resources and Water Supply (VA 641). Thereafter until 1983 the Chairman was deemed to be the permanent head of the Ministry for the purposes of the Public Service Act. Role in Water Resources Council The Council, established by the Water Resources Act 1975, advised the Minister on water resources, drainage and sewerage matters. All three State Rivers and Water Supply Commissioners were members of the Council. Abolition of Commission The Commission was abolished by the Water (Central Management Restructuring) Act 1984 (s.14), its major powers, responsibilities and assets passing to the Rural Water Commission (VA 2338) on 1 July 1985. Its responsibilities for rural water resource policy were taken on by the new department of Water Resources (VA 2354). The Commissioners held their last meeting on 25 June 1984 (Victoria Government Gazette No.67, 20 June 1984, p.2005; Order-in-Council of 19 June amending Schedule Two of the Public Service Act 1984). Prior to its abolition, responsibility for oversight of local water and sewerage authorities had passed to the Ministry of Water Resources and Water Supply (VA 641) on 1 January 1984 under the Water and Sewerage Authorities (Restructuring) Act 1983. The restructuring followed a review by the Public Bodies Review Committee of Victoria's non-metropolitan water industry (see 2 April 1980 reference from Parliament in Victoria Government Gazette No. 42, 20 May 1981, p.1594, and the Committee's Reports to Parliament, Nos.1-8, in particular Eighth Report, Future Structures for Water Management, Vol 3, Final Report: The Central and Regional Management of the Water Industry).

Telstra

  • Corporate body

Tait

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State Electricity Commission of Victoria

  • Corporate body
  • 1919 - c.1993

Establishment The Electricity Commissioners were constituted in 1919 under the provisions of the Electricity Commissioners Act 1918 (No.2996) and became the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (S.E.C.) under the provisions of the State Electricity Commission Act 1920 (No.3104). The Electricity Commissioners assumed responsibility for the administration of the Electric Light and Power Act from the Public Works Department (VA 669). Powers and Functions of the S.E.C. The State Electricity Commission was required: to inquire into and report to the Government on the measures which should be taken to achieve the ultimate co-ordination and amalgamation of all electrical undertakings in Victoria, and to secure the efficient inter-connection of such undertakings by the adoption of necessary standards of plant and equipment and system frequency and pressure to encourage and promote the use of electricity for industrial and manufacturing purposes and to report to the Government on the prospects of establishing new industries requiring large quantities of electrical energy to carry out investigations to ascertain the extent of coal deposits or of water power suitable for use in connection with the generation of electricity to carry out investigations as to the safety and most economical means of improving the generation, distribution, supply and use of electricity throughout Victoria. The Commission was vested with the following powers in relation to electrical undertakings; to construct, maintain and operate electrical undertakings to supply electricity in bulk to any statutory corporation or undertaking such as municipalities to supply electricity to any person outside any area in which there is an existing undertaking and to Government departments and institutions to carry on any business associated with an electrical undertaking to make regulations as to precautions to be adopted in the use of electricity and to arrange for the licensing of electric wiremen to develop brown coal mining and briquette manufacture to develop hydro-electric resources to register contractors, control installation methods and materials, and test and trade in approved electrical equipment and appliances. The Commission was a self supporting business which finances its capital works program and meets its operating expenses solely through revenue received from its customers and repayable loans. Acquisition of Electrical Undertakings The Commission gradually acquired a number of electrical undertakings previously owned by companies, municipalities and the Victorian Railways. Between 1922 and 1953 the Commission acquired control of the following undertakings: North Melbourne Tramways and Lighting Company in 1922 Melbourne Electric Supply Company in 1930 The Electric Supply Company of Victoria in 1934 Newport B Power Station from Victorian Railways in 1939 Melbourne City Council Spencer Street Power Station in 1941 Newport A Power Station from Victorian Railways in 1951 Mildura Electrical Undertaking in 1953 The S.E.C. continues to provide bulk supply electricity to certain metropolitan municipalities which then supply their customers. Tramways In 1930 the S.E.C. acquired the Geelong Tramways from the Melbourne Electric Supply Company and in 1934 the Commission acquired the Ballarat and Bendigo Tramways from the Electric Supply Company of Victoria. The Commission continued to operate these tramways until 1956 and 1971\2 respectively. Brown Coal Mining In 1917 the Government had appointed a Brown Coal Advisory Committee to investigate and report on the commercial utilization of brown coal with particular reference to the generation of electricity. In their annual report of 30 June 1920, the Commissioners reported that land had been acquired near Morwell and that progress had been made on the development of brown coal mining. By 1921 open cut mining operations had commenced and by 1924 electricity was being generated from the Yallourn Power Station and supplied to Melbourne. Yallourn As part of its development of brown coal resources, the S.E.C. began building the township of Yallourn in the 1920s. The Commission administered the town alone until 1947 when a Town Advisory Council was established. In 1968 the S.E.C. decided to demolish the town to make way for further mining and, despite opposition, by 1982\3 the demolition was complete. Hydro-Electric Schemes One of the initial responsibilities of the Electricity Commissioners was to report on the feasibility of using water power for the generation of electricity. Government approval for the Sugarloaf-Rubicon Scheme was given in 1922 and the Rubicon and Mt Sugarloaf hydro-electric stations were in service by 1928 and 1929 and the Eildon station by 1956. Work on the Kiewa Scheme was not commenced until 1939 and the first power station was in operation by 1944. A Commonwealth-State Conference on the use of the Snowy River was convened in 1946 and subsequently the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority was established in 1949. The Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Agreements were ratified by Parliament in 1958 and electricity from the Snowy Scheme was first transmitted to Victoria in 1959. Restructuring of the Victorian Electricity Industry In 1993-1994 the State Electricity Commission of Victoria was disaggregated into three entities, covering mining and generation; transmission and system security; and distribution and retailing. The Electricity Industry Act 1993 (No. 130/1993) was the basis for implementing the government's objectives with regard to the structure and regulation of the Victorian electricity industry. Under the provision of the Electricity Industry Act 1993, the following three electricity corporations were established: 1. Generation Victoria (GV) 2. National Electricity (NE) 3. Electricity Services Victoria (ESV) 1. Generation Victoria: The Act defined the functions of Generation Victoria as: To undertake the generation and supply of electricity To explore for, mine, produce and supply coal, gas and other raw products used in the generation of electricity To acquire and trade in electricity, coal, gas and other raw products used in the generation of electricity To undertake the construction and operation of power stations To carry out research and development relating to the performance of the functions To provide services, including management services, in the coal, gas and electricity generation industries. 2. National Electricity: The Act defined the functions of National Electricity as: To provide for the transmission of electricity in Victoria To plan, operate, and maintain the electricity transmission system for Victoria National Electricity may: Coordinate the operation of the generation, transmission and distribution facilities of the Victorian electricity supply system Acquire and trade in electricity Operate and administer the market for the wholesale trading of electricity Operate, manage and maintain hydro-electric power stations; and Undertake the transmission of electricity outside Victoria 3. Electricity Services Victoria (ESV): Functions and powers of ESV as defined by the Act were: To acquire, distribute and supply electricity To provide services, including management services in connection with the distribution and supply of electricity To carry on the business of trading in electrical apparatus The functions of the Administrator of the SEC established under the Electricity Industry Act were: To administer the residual functions and powers not conferred on any other bodies defined in the relevant Acts To make rules for, or with respect to, trading in electricity, as between two or more of the Electricity Corporations, the SEC and the proclaimed bodies. The Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector (VA 4207) was also created as a separate entity under the Electricity Industry Act. Further changes to the structure (1994) An independent distribution company, PoolCo (Victorian Power Exchange), was established to monitor and control the wholesale electricity market and ensure the security of the supply system. The Company was granted the wholesale electricity market licence. Power Net Victoria, a transmission grid company which owned, maintained and managed the high voltage grid, was granted the transmission licence by the Regulator General under sections 162 and 168 of the Electricity Industry Act 1993. Generation Victoria, an interim structure, was reviewed and restructured into five independent generating companies. Hazelwood Power Corporation Pty Ltd comprised the Hazlewood power station and the Morewell brown coal mine; Loy Yang Power Pty Ltd comprised the Loy Yang A power station and the Loy Yang mine; Southern Hydro Pty Ltd covered hydro power stations at Kiewa, Dartmouth, Eildon/Rubicon and Cairn Curran; and Yallourn Energy Pty Ltd comprised Yallourn W power station and the Yallourn mine. In the interim, Generation Victoria was to continue and to be responsible for the gas-powered power stations. Electricity Services Victoria was also further divided into five companies, each responsible for the customer service for one of five regions: Eastern, Western and three Metropolitan regions. Distribution and retail licences were issued to Eastern Energy Ltd, Citipower Ltd, Solaris Power Ltd, United Energy Ltd and Powercor Australia Ltd. The Office of the Regulator General Act 1994 (No. 42/1994) established the Office as an independent regulator of the electricity and other industries: to protect and consumer, monitor and maintain the integrity of supply and ensure the market operated fairly. The Office exercised its regulatory powers with respect to: Standards and condition of service and supply Licensing Market conditions; and Other economic regulatory matters. Ministerial Responsibility The Ministers responsible for the State Electricity Commission were: Attorney General 1919-1927 Minister in Charge of Electrical Undertakings 1927-1955 Minister of Electrical Undertakings 1955-1965 Minister of Fuel and Power 1965-1977 Minister for Minerals and Energy 1977-1985 Minister for Industry, Technology and Resources 1985-1992 Minister for Energy and Minerals 1992-1993 From at least 1965-1993, there was a Department of State responsible for co-ordination of and liaison with the major energy agencies including the State Electricity Commission and the Gas and Fuel Corporation (VA 1040) The Departments responsible since 1965 have been: Ministry of Fuel and Power (VA 627) 1965-1977, Department of Minerals and Energy (VA 611) 1977-1985, Department of Industry, Technology and Resources (VA 2661) 1985-1992, Department of Energy and Minerals (VA 3035) 1992-1995, Department of Agriculture, Energy and Minerals (VA 3744) 1995-1996 Official History of State Electricity Commission of Victoria An official history of the Commission was published in 1969: EDWARDS, Cecil. Brown Power: A Jubilee History of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, State Electricity Commission, Melbourne, 1969.

Sefton

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