In the wash up following the disastrous Queensland election result, the conservative forces in Australian politics need to do some deep soul searching as to what is acceptable political policy for Australia. One of the cornerstones of policy, from both the Coalition and some within the Labor Party has been their fervent support for privatization of public assets. Like Campbell Newman in Queensland was, Mike Baird in NSW, Tony Abbott Federally, and many other conservative politicians they are staunch supporters of privatization.
From both sides of politics, the sale of public assets has been touted as a panacea for the economic ills both real and imaginary besetting the nation. We now have an unenviable track record of privatizing many juicy public assets. Governments put all kind of spin on the value of privatization, but is it all it’s cracked up to be, at the end of the day are the people better off ,or worse off, because of it?

The following ‘Crikey’ article was written well before the Queensland election but the sentiments in the last paragraph are rather poignant.

“ It remains to be seen whether, even given their exceptionally strong starting positions, the NSW and Queensland governments can overcome entrenched, and justified, public hostility to privatization. In the circumstances, defeat for either ought to kill the policy once and for all.”

http://www.crikey.com.au/2014/06/06/state-privatisation-schemes-a-dumb-idea-regardless-of-the-spin/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

I have always had mixed feelings about privatisation.
Certainly I can see the commonsense in a government not getting into
business.
However if a previous government has got itself into business it then
it becomes a problem.
If it is a monopoly like power generation the public puts pressure on
the government to keep prices down.
This may sacrifice future reliability. Sound familiar ?

If the return on capital is near normal commercial returns I would be
reluctant to sell.
If not then I would get out as quick as possible.

Also another factor that would influence me would be the amount of
debt the government had and what affect the sale would have on the
debt interest.

I can see why governments really do not want to be in business.
It needlessly complicates government financial planning and taxes.

Just as I and others can see the commonsense in a government getting into business in the first place. The public necessity aspect is very important, and how governments have had to cater to societies needs, in transport, health, education etc, the obvious ones, lesser understood business like policing and defense, even at times into banking and insurance. The need for public enterprise is a very long list indeed.
Some government enterprise actually saves the taxpayers money, often unseen directly by most people. One example are railways, where profitable freight operations can be subsidising losses from commuter services, plus unseen savings for the environment and other forms of transport such as roads.

We need to get government, particularly government by union the hell out of business.

It was government being in the business of selling water that caused a huge flood in Brisbane, when the government operatives did not release excess water soon enough.

Releasing water a cash strapped Beattie/Bligh government wanted to sell was more than their jobs was worth.

God, just imagine idiots like Rudd & Gillard running even a dry cleaning shop. That is really frightening.

Railways, Paul?

Maybe you should check the number of trucks on the road, especially long haul and the number of commuters stuck in traffic jams.

The political parties refuse to consult with and take notice of the public. Governments find it easier to avoid direct consultation too. That will have to change or else governments will continue to be thrown out of office in short order.

Australia should be consulting with the UK, Sweden, Japan and others with a view to deciding how to package rail transport for private operation. There needs to be gradualism and learning as we go.

Never has a single privitisation benefited the public. The only ones who benefit are the corrupt politicians who subsequently go and work for the entity they privatised and their mates who they sold it to.