[Greens-Media] NSW power sell-off creates another barrier to reducing greenhouse emissions

[John Kaye]

NSW power sell-off creates another barrier to reducing greenhouse emissions

Media release: 25 July 2013

The Greens today condemned the sale of Mt Piper and Wallerawang power stations that will make it much more difficult to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions and will push up electricity prices and destroy jobs.

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "Labor's incompetence and the Coalition's fixation on privatisation could end up costing the state billions of dollars.

"Wallerawang and Mt Piper produce more than 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. If there is ever a NSW government that wants to do something about reducing the state's contribution to global warming, Treasurer Mike Baird just made their task much harder.

"Private ownership creates a property right which will have to be purchased back into public hands before these power stations can be shut down.

"Wallerawang and Mt Piper produce almost 25 percent of the state's electricity-related greenhouse gas emissions. They have just left any public control. The task of shutting them down to be replaced by clean energy alternatives has become much more expensive.

"Former Labor Treasurer Eric Roozendaal stripped these power stations of any value and left the state with massive liabilities. Instead of trying to reverse the deal, his Liberal successor has sold off all state control over the future of these critical assets," Dr Kaye said.

For more information:  John Kaye 0407 195 455


-------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kaye
Greens NSW MP

P: (02) 9230 2668 | F: facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc<http://www.facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc> | T: @johnkgreens<twitter.com/johnkgreens> | W: www.johnkaye.org.au<http://www.johnkaye.org.au>
Mail: Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

This email is solely for the named addressee and may be confidential. You should only read, disclose, transmit, copy, distribute, act in reliance on or commercialise the contents if you are authorised to do so. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the sender by email immediately and then destroy any copy of this message. Except where otherwise specifically stated, views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual sender.
[Description: MC900437266[1]]  Please consider the environment before printing this email.