[Greens-Media] Electricity sell-off spells greenhouse disaster

[John Kaye]

Electricity sell-off spells greenhouse disaster
 
Media Release: 4 September 2007
 
Privatisation of NSW*s electricity retailers or generators would
undermine efforts to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, according to
Greens MP John Kaye.
 
Commenting on leaked details of the Owen Inquiry into the future of
base-load generation, Dr Kaye said: *Public ownership is essential if
this state is to reshape its electricity industry to slash emissions.
 
*The Iemma government cannot privatise the retailers or sell off
generators and hope to maintain any greenhouse credibility.
 
*Privately-owned retailers will need to sell more energy to make more
profits. There is no evidence to suggest that our political process
could deliver a regulatory regime that would be able to stop privatised
retailers pushing up demand for energy.
 
*Worse still, retailers that are no longer in public hands will
inevitably end up owned by the big generators who will use them to push
up demand and the market price of electrical energy. 
 
*Promises to keep retailers out of the hands of generators should not
be taken seriously. Experience with other big money industries like
retailing demonstrates the inability of governments and regulators to
stop concentration of ownership.
 
*Publicly owned retailers on the other hand can work with customers to
improve energy efficiency and to shape demand to match renewable energy
sources.
 
*Achieving demand reductions will require sophisticated partnerships
between household consumers and their suppliers. Retailers will have to
become much more than the people who send you a bill every quarter. 
 
*Selling off coal-fired generators would create a property right to
pollute. 
 
*The Iemma government should be talking about phasing out coal-based
generators, not handing them over to corporate control that will want to
squeeze every last drop of profit from them.
 
*The Iemma government should reject electricity privatisation and go
back to the drawing board to design an industry that reduces emissions
and looks after consumers,* Dr Kaye said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000