Paul,

When you post these silly conspiracy theories you sound either crazy or stoned.

SM,

Have you watched any of the ICAC enquiry? I'm not promoting "conspiracy theories". If you take in the evidence presented by Baird and bureaucrats its clear that if "privatisation" of public assets was an economic goal, it got lost in the sleazy world of political pork barrelling. I'm not saying this is exclusively a Liberal disease, its a disease of government. The Coalition came to power in NSW with a promise to clean up corruption, which had been rife under the Obeid administration, it failed that noble ambition by engaging in bad practices, just like Labor. Corruption is no small thing in Australian politics, from the local government level to the Feds, corruption is systemic in our political society. Given the performance of the Morrison Government, a Federal ICAC would be working overtime to get to the bottom of some of the obvious rorting and corrupt conduct that has been going on.

Paul,

This like many other conspiracy theories is based on linking things that in reality are completely unrelated. Labor during its term in office happily pork barrelled away without selling any assets simply by borrowing money clearly showing that there is no link between selling assets and pork barrelling.

Governments have no business running companies that would function better being privatised.

SM,

I'm not basing my judgment on any "conspiracy theory", but rather on the direct evidence given before the Commission. The sale of public assets, paid into a Future Fund, then despite expert reservations, despite not having a sound business plan, Baird admitted projects were being approved simply on political considerations, "pork barrelling". In the case of the $5.5 million for the Wagga Wagga Clay Shooters, despite the experts branding it a "lemon", all the advice being negative, Daryl wanted it, and for reasons known only to herself, Gladys championed the project, and ultimately got it through . Baird as Premier had no knowledge of the Maguire/Berejiklian relationship, so he said. According to Baird, had he had such knowledge he would have acted differently, of course trying to present himself as a clean skin. Its clear many projects got approval from the Expenditure Review Committee, not based on economics, but on political considerations only, Gladys as Treasurer was chair of that committee, but Baird as Premier had veto powers on the ERC, but failed to exercise them, when obviously as Primer he should have, claiming he preferred the committee to veto such projects. BTW before each ERC meeting members were given the opportunity to declare a conflict of interest, but Gladys failed to do so, Baird said when he learnt only recently about the Maguire/Berejiklian relationship his reaction was, "Incredulous".

Political corruption is not simply a function of the Coalition, its a function of government regardless of who is in power, that is why a broad ranging ICAC with adequate powers of investigation is required in every state and territory, and at the Commonwealth level.

SM,

"Governments have no business running companies that would function better being privatised."

As a Liberal Conservative that is a philosophical view of yours. As a Progressive Socialist I don't necessarily agree. I don't expect, or wish for the Government to open a fast food chain, 'Scotty Burgers' in competition with 'McDonalds', although the quality of the burgers from Maccas should be the subject of a RC, given what I had last week!

A quote from the Old Man; "The Tories will sell off all the juicy plums, cheap to their mates, and leave us mob (the ordinary citizens) with all the rotten fruit!", I see truth in that. At one time the government owned 'Commonwealth Bank' was Australia's leading bank, out performing the private banks. That gives the lie to "private is better" so sell that juicy plum. Lots of competitive government run enterprises besides CBA, example GIO insurance, Rural Bank, Telecom (Telstra), Medibank health fund, to name but few, have more than matched it with their private competitors, to the point where the competitors have demanded ownership from government, at a very attractive price. In the case of Telstra its clear privatisation has not improved its performance, if anything its got worse, being consistently outperformed on service by its competitors, not that they are anything special.

It has been shown in many cases of privatisation, private enterprise has failed to deliver for the taxpayer, take the private Sydney Airport Line (train) paid for by NSW taxpayers, a $900 million debt after years of operation is still yet to be repaid by the private operator. The NSW privatisation of bus and ferry, 'State Transit', the government owned operator was excluded from bidding for the contract. The ones that have been privatised have seen no changes in efficiency, in fact operations have got worse, all at taxpayer expense. Privatized prisons have to be propped up by government, otherwise they would collapse. Private operators can not run prisons to an acceptable standard and still make a profit, the people have to pay.

Paul,

It's not a philosophical viewpoint it is basic economics that defines which enterprises should be publicly owned and which should not. Private businesses are motivated to be efficient public enterprises are not. Thatcher sparked the movement by privatising the large loss-making industries leading to decades of record economic growth and prosperity taking the UK from 4th or 5th ranked in the EU to 2nd only behind Germany.

Labor started the privatisation of assets that were being inefficiently run such as the CW bank which now pays taxes and provides employment, far more than it did when it was publicly owned.

That Labor and the greens are proposing failed policies from the 1950s is a joke.