NSW Greens have welcomed the decision by the NSW Auditor General to investigate the Liberal/National Government’s sale of electricity network Ausgrid and the unsolicited proposal process.
Treasury spokesperson Justin Field said the Government’s undue eagerness for a sell off of the state’s essential energy infrastructure had potentially compromised due process and the value obtained from the deal.
“The push for privatisation of Ausgrid was largely conducted behind closed doors with opaque rules and confidential process and the NSW community deserves an answer on how this deal was done,” he said.
“People and communities have had enough of privatisations that have not improved services or cost for them and has seen essential assets such as electricity and land titles pass out of public control into private hands. The companies snapping up some of our most valuable assets are doing so for profit, not any other motive, and again it will be the community footing the bill.
“The Greens stand with the community in rejecting the NSW Liberal/National Government’s privatisation agenda and the added insult of negotiations conducted in secrecy with private buyers.
“We expect the Government to represent our best interests in all dealings, particularly when finances and vested business interests are involved. Time and again, they have broken this trust when selling off our community’s assets and services.
“Privatisation has exploded since the Coalition came to Government in 2011 with a major $53 billion fire sale of the state's assets, but what have been left to show for it?
"NSW still faces growing inequality, some of the worst housing affordability in the world, massive queues for public housing and growing youth unemployment in regional areas.
“The Government should get on with the business of delivering high quality public services and end its obsession with shadowy deals that privatise our state's assets,” he said.
