Iemma must pull the plug on power sell-off muddle
The campaign to stop electricity privatisation in NSW came a step closer to victory this evening, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
Dr Kaye said: "The Iemma government is desperately clutching at straws
to save face and avoid an embarrassing defeat on the floor of
parliament.
"Treasurer Michael Costa has caved in to the
Opposition's demands for an Auditor-General's report on the sell-off
before voting on the legislation.
"The sell-off process is stalled and Treasurer Costa has been forced to negotiate with the Coalition to get himself out of bind.
"He
is hoping this will buy the government some time by providing an excuse
for not pushing ahead with the privatisation legislation.
"However,
the Auditor-General will find it very difficult to report in a
meaningful way on the existing bill, which gives extraordinarily wide
discretionary power to the Treasurer to determine the structure of the
industry and the nature of the sale.
"It is hard to see how the Auditor-General could give the process a tick.
"The Iemma government is digging itself deeper into this hole.
"No doubt the Treasurer will to use this period to pressure Labor MPs to not cross the floor and vote against the government.
"It
is now time for the Premier Morris Iemma to take command and dump the
sell off before it does even more damage to his government.
"Electricity privatisation was always bad for the environment, households, the economy and power workers.
"Now it has become a poisoned pill for the Iemma government," Dr Kaye said.
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
[via Dr John Kaye MLC Media Release Monday 16 June 2008 link]
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Media Officer in the Office of Greens MP John Kayee
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