Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 3 Hansard (9 March) . . Page.. 747 ..
That this Assembly approves the vesting of the main undertakings, except their water and sewerage facilities, of ACTEW Corporation Limited and its subsidiaries (including all or any of their assets, rights and liabilities) in a joint venture by way of partnerships between subsidiaries of ACTEW Corporation Limited and the Australian Gas Light Company.
and on the amendment by Ms Tucker:
Omit all words after "Assembly", substitute "calls on the Government not to pursue options for the future of ACTEW which involve the sale, franchising, entering into joint ventures or contracting out of ACTEW's electricity network, water or sewerage businesses".
MR WOOD (11.57): Mr Speaker, a great number of questions have been asked about this proposed merger, and the Opposition believes that many key questions are still unanswered. The answers to those questions remain a key to whether the decision that is likely to be taken today is a good or bad decision. Mr Humphries, on behalf of the Government, seems to be saying, "Trust me".
Today I want to try a different perspective, one that is no less important than those key financial considerations. The perspective I want to consider is that of the consumer and the impact of this proposal on the people in Canberra who use these utilities. There are other very important impacts, notably impacts on workers, that have been dealt with before and may be dealt with again. It is very clear that if we want to see the path we are heading down we only have to look at today's papers and the stories they tell about Telstra. If we go down this path, it is very clear that in two, three or four years' time we will see similar headlines about the new joint venture.
What is the driving force behind these enterprises? It is the almighty dollar. It is profit. It is the absolute necessity of chief executives to turn out ever-increasing profits for their shareholders. That and that alone is the compelling force. In years gone by most governments in most circumstances in Australia determined that these utilities were so important to the people that they needed to be in public hands. I told this Assembly once before that my very first job after leaving school was with a private electricity authority. That authority, like others, was soon subsumed by the then Queensland Government in the interests of the consumer. We are reneging on those principles.
The headlines about Telstra in today's paper have brought outrage from people around the country already. There are record profits - the almighty dollar - but more staff are to be sacked. It is quite clear. The chief executive makes no bones about it. He says, "In order to turn out this profit we have to sack staff. Every cent that we reduce on the price of calls means that staff has to go". Complaints about Telstra are at a record level.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .