[Greens-Media] Good enough to sell. Good enough to keep.

[Christine Donayre]

Media Release
14 October 2008

Good enough to sell!
Good enough to keep!
 
Greens MP Ian Cohen today condemned speculation in today’s Sydney
Morning Herald about possible future privatisation of Waste Service NSW
& State Forests.
 
“Now is hardly the time to be thinking of privatising any state
departments.  Waste NSW is an industry leader in the provision of
recycling, education and land management services to local councils,
businesses and education resources, particularly in the western Sydney
region.  It is interesting to note that Victoria achieves higher rates
of recycling at half the cost to households – proper audits should be
done with a public entity.  There is no advantage gained in dealing with
a private company,” said Mr Cohen.
 
“The private native forestry industry’s regulations are so
rudimentary and ineffectual that we are witnessing logging at third
world standards on private lands.  Selling Forests NSW would be a crime
against our future.  The outcome of privatisation would be that the
public would have less chance of influencing forestry management,
working to regulations equivalent to Public Forestry, and obtaining
conservation outcomes will be sacrificed to the dollar bottom line,”
said Mr Cohen.
 
“These sell-offs by the Government are not in the public interest. 
This is a real disappointment from a prior Premier, once a great
conservationist, who only 3 weeks ago spoke out against the absurdity of
not taking action on climate change, who is now happy to do the bidding
of Macquarie Bank.  It smacks of self-interest,” said Mr Cohen.  
 
“In such tumultuous financial times, it’s common sense for the
Government to retain these departments.  When the banking system is in
such turmoil and globally governments are re-nationalising their banking
systems, how can we trust a bank to successfully management our
environmental future?” said Mr Cohen.
 “Forestry, with a recognition of its growing role in any Greenhouse
strategy, needs to be kept in public hands.  Forestry is the
“Commonwealth Bank” of future climate control.  Does anyone
seriously consider that The Commonwealth Bank serves the public interest
better in private hands?” said Mr Cohen.