I am against the sale I am an active ALP member and on this issue alone think Morris Iemma should leave the government.
Why sell? is the state so broke we must tax every resident with higher energy prices?
One small step at a time we have sold much of what we once owned and paid for it twice higher prices and even buying shares in once public owned enterprises?
The upcoming ALP state conference will be of great interest rumors too strong to be untrue say one union has sold its sole to the government It however will not be enough.
What benefit Mr Iemma in selling? what benefit in overturning party policy?

Dear Belly,

The Sydney Morning Herald had an excellent Editorial, (February 27, 2008), on the subject under the heading, "What do we want? Secure power supplies."

In the article they say, "Sagging in the polls, the Government has few achievements to boast of to lift its standing with voters, and plenty of bad news weighing it down from hospitals, trains, buses, roads and schools. The Independent Commission Against Corruption's Wollongong inquiry is daily undermining the Government's legitimacy.

The Premier, Morris Iemma, and the Treasurer, Michael Costa, know a circuit-breaker is needed... In the face of repeated criticism over their failure to invest in the future of the state, the announcement of major projects that are properly funded (unlike, for example, the north-west rail corridor) might provide it.

Hence their eagerness to sell the state's energy retailers and lease its power stations. By selling off assets and functions which do not need to be run by governments, they can invest in those that do.

Holding on to the assets is not an option. Yet thought it may spring from a certain desperation, the strategy is sound."

Belly, if the Iemma Government fails to secure the power supply with new investment, there will be blackouts. Surely that's not what the unions really want for the people of NSW?

We will have a once off sale of valuable income earning asset and once this lot of wasteful piss ants spend it,up will go our taxes to cover the loss of income .Also up will go the price of energy and guess what?The Iemma Govt won't then be electorally reponsible.

The NSW Govt cannot guarantee that prices will escalate.You just can't trust them.

I agree Belly but unfortunately like many governments before (including Labor) another publicly owned asset is on the chopping block.

It pains me to see another public asset sold due to bad management, when all the public assests are sold and there is nothing to left to sell, the government may actually have to change their modus operandi and become better economic managers. There will be no more bandaids.

NZ suffered power blackouts after they privatised their power because the new owner decided that maintenance was too costly and reflected badly on the profit margin. Where profit is the main objective and there is no competition I don't hold out much optimism on the quality of service that will be provided.

I believe many power and water/water treatment companies in the various states are foreign owned, so we can't take much comfort even in our profits remaining in Australia.

I do wonder what you actually stand for.

I had said before the state election that this was going to be sold off but no one took notice, not the unions, not the workers.

We know that there will be people put off as they did in victoria.

We know the service will go down hill.

We know kevin rudd and his followers in government are backing this sale.

But it doesnt matter anyway.

all the labor and unions will still on voting day vote labor no matter what they do.

The unions put these people in and know want there cake and eat it to.

When will they learn that they are paid by the workers and not the labor party.

When will they really stand up and fight for the people and say the labor party is wrong and corrupt.

Stuart Ulrich
Independent

Tapp may I be honest?
Based on your words in this forum over a few years I look else ware for any understanding of politics.
Foxy with my always existing respect for you those words every one of them came from that paper and those it represents not NSW rate payers and power users.
Now if NSW would be better from a sale then sell.
If privatized power was to be at or even near current costs ok sell.
Other states use power to bargain with massive industry's, bringing new jobs to them with power deals.
NSW see, s industry leave because we have neglected to keep power station renewals up to needs.
No one is more hurt by the failures of my party but look at our phones for one service and costs have acted against us from day one of selling.
Unions are not alone in wanting to keep power in our hands, if we look back to things like the Sydney rocks area we see proof unions have always been involved in social justice issues this is such.
Headlines will be made in the next few weeks on this issue we should shudder to think a do very little opposition is going to win this states next election by doing nothing but waiting for Iemma to sell his followers out.