13th Sep 2007, 9:43 AM – Senate Motions - New South Wales Electricity Industry - Abandon plan to privatise

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, which means that it was rejected. The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the New South Wales Government is openly canvassing the privatisation of its electricity industry, despite going to successive elections with a promise to keep the industry in public hands,

(ii) electricity generation is responsible for 37 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from New South Wales,

(iii) public utilities in New South Wales employ 24 000 people,

(iv) privatisation of the New South Wales electricity industry will have serious, irreversible and negative effects on Australia’s response to climate change, employment in regional Australia and government revenue, and

(v) the New South Wales Government was forced to abandon its plan to privatise the Snowy Mountains Scheme by a concerted community campaign; and

(b) calls on the New South Wales Government to also abandon its support for privatising the electricity industry either by sale or lease.