Thursday 13 November 2014

LNP SELL-OFF FNQ ELECTRICITY ASSETS, BUT LABOR TO FOCUS ON JOBS

LNP SELL-OFF FNQ ELECTRICITY ASSETS, BUT LABOR TO FOCUS ON JOBS

LNP SELL-OFF FNQ ELECTRICITY ASSETS, BUT LABOR TO FOCUS ON JOBS






3 Votes

Opposition
Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on the people of far north
Queensland to send Campbell Newman a message at the next election and
reject his asset sales agenda.



Visiting Barron Gorge Hydro Power Station with Shadow Treasurer and
Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt, Ms Palaszczuk said only Labor would
ensure publicly-owned assets remained publicly owned.



“Labor’s position is crystal clear. Labor won’t sell Queensland’s electricity assets,” Ms Palaszczuk said.


“We have listened to Queenslanders who have said they don’t want
their assets sold, because it simply leads to more job losses and higher
electricity prices.



“How many jobs will go in this region if the LNP sells-off our
electricity assets? How much harder will it be for families to pay their
power bill? How will the Government build schools and roads without the
income?



“We also know that whether it’s an outright sale or a lease, Queenslanders will never own these assets again.


“The Treasurer admitted last week that the only way Queenslanders
will get these assets back at the end of a 50 or 99 year lease is if
they’re willing to buy them back.



“We don’t want our children and their children having to fork out
tens of billions of dollars to buy back assets they should already own.”



Ms Palaszczuk said publicly owned land associated with Stanwell could be sold off.


“Barron Gorge is a beautiful part of the far north. The parklands
near the power station are actually owned by Stanwell. Will those spaces
be sold off as well?



“The LNP refuses to be upfront with Queenslanders about the details of their asset sell-off.”


Mr Pitt said maintaining public ownership of electricity assets was particularly important in Far North Queensland.


“The far north is a beautiful place, but as we all know it’s often
hammered by cyclones and extreme weather. That unfortunately means
blackouts and major damage to power lines and other infrastructure,” he
said.



“Our Ergon workers do a great job rapidly restoring electricity in
times of need, and rebuilding vital infrastructure in the weeks and
months after major weather events.



“That’s because at the moment, service is the number one priority,
not profits. Selling these assets to the private sector will mean
profits come first.



“I’m urging all Queenslanders, including those in the far north, to
send a message to Campbell Newman at the next election. Queenslanders
don’t want their assets sold, because they don’t want more job cuts from
the LNP, and they don’t want even higher power prices.”



Curtis Pitt and Anastacia Palazcuk



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