[Greens-Media] Fwd: NT Greens Media Release - Greens oppose selling public assets.

[Convenor, NT Greens]

*Greens oppose selling public assets.*

Federal and NT Greens have come out in opposition to the CLP’s agenda of
selling public assets like Power and Water Corporation, the Darwin Port
Authority and the Territory Insurance Office.

“Let’s call a spade a spade. This plan is all about balancing the books
today by selling assets which belong to the people and which make it
possible for us to manage costs in the future,” said NT Greens candidate
for Casuarina Dr Michael Connard.

“This is a short-sighted move. What happens when the NT has no public
assets left to sell?”

"The aftermath of the Katherine flood illustrated how a government
insurance agency can be a real force for good as TIO raised the standards
on how claims were paid out and the commercial insurance companies had to
improve their game in response,” said Dr Connard.

“This was a direct result of TIO’s priorities as a public service rather
than a profit making enterprise.

“It is also very hard to see how separating and privatising the power
system can possibly result in lower power charges in the NT when it has
failed to do so in places with significantly smaller networks.”

The Greens federal spokesperson for Transport & Infrastructure, Senator
Janet Rice said, "Public assets should remain in public hands unless there
is a very compelling case to sell them,"

The Greens have strongly opposed the Abbott government’s privatisation
agenda, which is threatening to create a toll road slush fund for big
cities like Melbourne and Sydney at the expense of revenue-generating state
and territory assets.

“Selling off publicly-owned assets could trigger job losses across the
country, while lining the pockets of Tony Abbott's private sector mates.

"The government should be serving communities, but instead their
backward-looking agenda is dividing them.”

“The CLP agenda is about preparing a menu of public assets that Adam Giles
can offer up to Country Liberal Party donors,” said Dr Connard.

“The Territory Government should not even be thinking about selling off
public assets and the Greens will fight this move all the way.”

Media contact:

Dr Michael Connard

0438 734 784 | michael.connard at nt.greens.org.au