The Water Minister is pulling the Water Corporation into line – after it moved to offer contractors an early payment option – but only if they accepted a discount on their invoices.

The Water Corp can take up to 45 days to pay suppliers – it has recently offered an option to be paid within 28 days – but only if invoices are reduced by 0.52 percent.

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell told Gareth Parker on Mornings it’s not the standard that should be expected from a Government monopoly.

“The NSW Government has moved to twenty days for all businesses, and by the way five days for registered businesses or businesses that are using electronic invoicing.

“The Federal Government has done the same so I think what we expect from government instrumentality is to be best practice.”

The Water Minister has told Gareth Parker he wasn’t aware of the change – and he’s instructed the Water Corp to align with the Government’s 30 day payment policy.

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