[Greens-Media] Greens to stop sell-off inquiry becoming excuse for inaction

[John Kaye]

Greens to stop sell-off inquiry becoming excuse for inaction
 
Media release: 1 May 2011
 
The Greens will push ahead with legislation to reverse electricity privatisation in NSW to stop Premier Barry O'Farrell hiding behind his inquiry as an excuse for letting the sell-off stand, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "The Coalition's Tamberlin inquiry will not issue its final report until November. Any legislation to reverse the Keneally government's fatally flawed deal would have to wait until February 2012.
 
"By then the private owners would have had fifteen months to entrench themselves.
 
"Every day that goes by allows Origin and TrueEnergy another opportunity to invest more in the gentrader businesses and the retailers, creating an ever greater compensation bill.
 
"There is a real risk that Barry O'Farrell will use the inquiry as cover to let the private owners off the hook, leaving NSW exposed to billions of dollars of losses. 
 
"Last year's Upper House inquiry found that the combined costs of Cobbora coal mine, the potential risk payments on outages, the maintenance costs and lost earnings unequivocally made the gentrader privatisation a bad deal that should be reversed.
 
"Waiting around for another year before the parliament can take action will ramp up costs for the taxpayers and build up a financial excuse of not acting.
 
"The Coalition enjoyed the political theatre of opposing former Treasurer Eric Roosendaal's sell-off but they are showing a remarkable lack of resolve when it comes to rescuing the state from the potential of billions of dollars of losses.
 
"The Greens will introduce legislation this week to take back public control of the state's generators and retailers. Compensation will be limited to costs incurred and will not include foregone profits.
 
"If Barry O'Farrell is serious about taking NSW down a different path he will work with the Greens to get the legislation through the Upper House and into law.
 
"Re-establishing public ownership of the power industry is the only way to protect household power bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," 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