Lithgow Council has been warned that the entire Local Government area could face a backlash if the State Government hierarchy adopted a vindictive response to opposition to the Iemma-Costa electricity privatisation plan.
Council was told that if metropolitan media sources could be believed there were already threats being whispered against future preselection prospects for any government MPs who cross the floor to vote against the privatisation.
Member for Bathurst Gerard Martin is one of several who have indicated their intention of voting against the legislation which was introduced into parliament on Wednesday.
The concerns about a possible vindictive payback came this week when Councillors were reiterating their opposition to the sell off.
This followed a response from Energy Minister Ian Macdonald to the motion by Lithgow Council adopted at last year’s Local Government Association annual conference in Coffs Harbour when the opposition to privatisation was almost unanimous among delegates.
The Minister’s response was basically a ‘form’ letter in which he reiterated the Treasurer’s familiar case for ‘restructuring ownership arrangements for the State’s generation and retail businesses’.
He said ‘the changes will mean that people working in the electricity sector will have a strong and secure employment future. All current pubic sector retail and generation workers are guaranteed jobs in their current location across the State’.
The Council and the unions, however, are well aware of what proved to be empty promises of job security at Lithgow Loco Depot following the privatisation of freight rail a few years ago.
Cr Howard Fisher echoed the ongoing Council opposition to the scheme which he said ‘will not be good for this area or for NSW’.
“We need to condemn the Government for the position they have taken on this,” he said.
“It worries me that the Sydney media is reporting that Members standing up for their beliefs on this issue could face reprisals further down the track.
“I don’t want to see our State Member victimised.”
Cr Wayne McAndrew said it could be inferred from this that where a Local Member was being victimised in the suggested manner then the electorate that Member represented could also be ‘held accountable’.
“We need to watch that possibility closely,” he said.
Cr McAndrew said there had been a great deal of spin by the Government leaders in their push for privatisation but experts were beginning to question the validity of some of the claims, particularly the claim that that the sale could provide a $15 billion windfall.
“It’s now suggested the sale would bring nowhere near that money,” he said.
Cr Margaret Collins said the Minister needed to be reminded that the vote at the Local Government Conference opposing privatisation represented most of New South Wales.
Mayor Neville castle agreed.
He said that the motion opposing privatisation had been almost unanimous — 96 per cent of the 500 voting delegates at the conference.
“These were democratically elected representatives of most of the Councils in New South Wales,” he said.
Consequently, he said, it was disappointing to get a reply from the Minister disregarding this vote.
The Mayor said he was still wondering why there was no allocation for a clearly necessary expansion at Mt Piper power station in last month’s State Budget.