Mood:
quizzicalTopic: nsw govt
Picture: Is Michael Costa considering a career with Macquarie Bank after politics like Bob Carr, and will the Bank participate in the privatisation feeding frenzy?
We hear on the ABC radio news hourly bulletin at 1 pm 14 Dec 07 via Treasurer Costa that the power privatisation decision of the Iemma Govt is "final". This is the same Costa who it might be said has never faced the people for election in his own personal capacity having come up through the union ranks to a cosy spot in the Upper House ticket to get his parliamentary pension.
There has even been talk Costa is keen to retire before the next election, even by 2009:
The big if: is Premier ready to cut and run? - National - smh.com.au
That is, even as the ranks of opponents move against the sell off gather steam as here reported yesterday
Forces gather against power privatisation - National - smh.com.au
and today
Costa patronisingly tells the unions they have no role in this because it's "final".
Time will tell. The pro public sector unions have some serious decisions to make about where the ALP, their party, are coming from.
Meanwhile the Green Party are going as fast as they can to campaign against the sell off of the huge public assets:
Greens launch "Public Power" campaign to stop electricity sale
Media Release: 13 December 2007
Greens NSW MP John Kaye today unveiled his party's posters, badges, web site and other materials as part of their campaign to stop the NSW government's privatisation of the electricity industry.
Dr Kaye said: "Premier Morris Iemma has badly underestimated community opposition to electricity industry privatisation.
"We will be working along side unions and community groups to turn that opposition into action.
"It is not too late to stop the privatisation of the electricity retailers and the long term lease of the generators.
"The Iemma government is trying to use the holiday season to get away with this unpopular move. No doubt they are hoping that voters will be distracted by celebrations with family, friends and colleagues.
"The Greens will be putting up posters and distributing fliers to remind Christmas shoppers that while they are celebrating, Premier Iemma and his Treasurer Michael Costa will be busy selling off their electricity industry.
"Today we are also launching our website, john.greens.org.au/privatisation, that equips visitors with the arguments against privatisation and allows them to send a click-and-protest anti-privatisation message to Premier Iemma.
"Last weekend the State Conference of the Greens NSW voted to establish a No Privatisation Working Group. The level of outrage within the membership stems not only from the greenhouse impacts of the sell-off but also the loss of jobs and the damage to consumers.
"We want Labor party leaders to know how angry the community is.
"The Federal Coalition was swept aside by the Your Rights at Work campaign.
"The Iemma government should be very afraid that the determined combination of community power and organisation does not send them to the same fate as John Howard's administration," Dr Kaye said.
Visit the Greens anti-privatisation campaign at: john.greens.org.au/privatisation
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
In our local area we wonder whether the ALP members of parliament are too well off and comfortable to really know what little people want anymore. For instance what is Federal Infrastructure Minister Albanese's attitude to the sell off, from the Left of the party? He's very quiet just as he is very quiet about the massive expansion of Port Botany impacts on his seat of Grayndler.
What this 'humble origins' PR completely fails to recognise is that he is a millionaire based on he and wife's combined career Lefty Big Party income. This affluence definitely pisses off some in the local Left ranks. All it needs is a kick along. The
'millionaire representative MP for Grayndler.''Forgotten where he's from'.'Lost touch with poor people'.'Doesn't know what it feels like anymore for the little people'.'In it for himself'.
Anyway that's one analysis how to replace the rotten ALP borough and their patronage and access machine deliverying for the big end of town and bugger the little people.
