Ed Lewis
Total Environment Centre director Jeff Angel was one of the members of the Unsworth committee, appointed by the NSW government to approve its proposal to privatise the state’s electricity system. The findings of the Unsworth committee were never in doubt, since the body was packed with government supporters from the start.
Ed Lewis
The Unsworth report supporting electricity privatisation in NSW was yesterday (Monday) considered by the Labor Party’s administrative committee, its peak executive body, and flicked through to the NSW Labor Party conference in May. A minority report was also sent through to the conference.
Ed Lewis
It’s most unlikely you will see the magic, disappearing mirrabee,
For if you turn most quickly round, it disappears beneath the ground.
The report of the Unsworth committee on the Iemma-Costa privatisation proposal for the NSW electricity system was supposed to hit the deck yesterday (Friday), but if media coverage of this momentous event is anything to go by, the report seems to been dropped overboard instead. Perhaps there will be more news on Monday, after the Labor Party’s Administrative Committee considers the report and formally releases it, but what has happened to all the leaks, which were more like a torrent earlier in the week?
Bob Gould
The web is a stamping ground for adventurers, trolls and demagogues who hide behind their anonymity. Some people have sound reasons for choosing pseudonyms on the web, like job considerations etc. It would be bad web etiquette to out people indiscriminately for this kind of reason. Having said that, I don’t take terribly seriously people on the web who strike demagogic poses sheltering behind anonymity.
Bob Gould
Michael Berrell keeps asking his idiot question, on the Green Left discussion list, demanding some kind statement from me as to whether members of the Labor Party should campaign for the expulsion of Costa and Iemma if they don’t carry out policy.
Fact: Over the last decade, the average yearly price of electricity per megawatt hour has been $38.22 in NSW. This should be compared to other states in Australia where privatisation has occurred. An example is in South Australia, the average price is $76.36.
A large and important rally at Parliament House, in Sydney
Bob Gould
This isn’t an end but a beginning, Unions NSW president John Robertson told the protest against electricity privatisation at the opening of state parliament for this year.
The rally drew about 12,000 people, and it was clear this rebellious movement is not about to go away, nor is Robertson. The estimate of 12,000 came from the platform, and it seemed accurate.
Bob Gould
Introduction
I gave out 150 copies of this open letter this evening (Monday) at the annual general meeting of the NSW Socialist Left and it got a pretty good reception from people who read it.
I hope the sect builders in outer space, my old acquaintances of the World Socialist Web Site, take careful note of this piece. They’ve been attacking me for my views on the apology to indigenous people, and this open letter will no doubt give them the basis for another of their eccentric exposure articles in which they attack people involved in struggle in the labour movement as being, in some incomprehensible way, in league with the people they’re fighting.
Jenny Haines
Something unusual and historic in the NSW Labor Party happened today. About 200 active rank and file members of the party filled the Sydney Trades Hall auditorium for a forum, in revolt against the plans by the parliamentary party in power to privatise the electricity industry in NSW.
Download flyer for Labor Party rank and file anti-privatisation meeting, Saturday, February 16. (Note: this meeting is for the general public, not just Labor Party members.)
Download flyer for anti-privatisation rally at the opening of NSW Parliament, Tuesday, February 26.
Many Labor Party branches have backed a protest against the Iemma-Costa electricity privatisation push, which will take place at UNSW auditorium, 377 Sussex Street, Sydney (near the corner of Goulburn Street) on Saturday at 10.30am.
Chaired by Bernie Riordan. Speakers: Prof Sharon Beder (UNSW), Mark Byrne (Public Interest Advocacy Centre), Cate Faehrmann (Nature Conservation Council), Senator Doug Cameron, Steve Turner (PSA).
Unions NSW is planning a rally at the opening of state parliament for the year on February 26. Details on the flyer above.
More news on the privatisation push.
It gets worse by the second
Bob Gould
Some time ago, unless I’m a complete dummkopf in using computer search (which is possible), Green Left Weekly appears to have dumped the once very useful list it used to have of coming events on the left.
Bob Gould
Despite the usual tendency of Australian politics to go into recess in January, the developing struggle over electricity privatisation is shaping up as the first major political collision of the Rudd era.
Jenny Haines
Big business and employers in Australia have brought about radical reform of the Australian economy over the last 30 years. (more…)
Ozleft 