media release * Monday 29th March 1999
POLL MESSAGE OVER TELSTRA
The national environmental organisation, Friends of the Earth, welcomes the
outcome of the NSW election, with its strong and clear message from the public
to any party which continues to sell off publicly owned assets.
�The clear rejection by voters of State Coalition plans to sell the NSW
electricity industry should be heeded by all political parties� said Cam
Walker, national liaison officer for FoE Australia. �In particular, in the
washup from the election, we note the statement by George Souris of the
National Party regarding electricity privatisation being �off our agenda�. We
also welcome the ongoing opposition to the further sale of Telstra by the
Greens and Democrats, and Mr Beazley�s announcement about �drawing the line� on
privatisation. It seems that the tide is turning for the political forces which
would see all public assets sold for short term gain.�
Ongoing impacts to communities, especially in regional Australia, through
closures and privatisation, and the need for institutions which are
publicly-controlled and accountable mean that further privatisation cannot be
justified by state or federal governments. In addition, the �blackmail� factor
of privatising assets in order to fund essential budget lines, such as the
environment, is increasingly seen as being nothing less than a cynical attempt
to hide political agendas. The public can be expected to continue to punish
Parties who do not learn from this weekends election.
With the threat of privatisation averted for at least the next four years, any
further reforms in the NSW power sector should concentrate on ensuring the
generators of power are investing more resources in research and investment in
renewable energy production, and that there is greater emphasis by the
distributors in increasing energy efficiency amongst consumers.
Further information: Cam Walker 03 - 9419 8700
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