10 March 2013

Qld privatisation opposed by 85%: poll

A NEW poll shows the overwhelming majority of Brisbane residents don't support asset sales. 
 
The automated ReachTEL poll commissioned by public service union Together told 50,000 respondents the government would on Monday consider the Costello report into the state's finances which recommends privatising public services, and asked if they supported or opposed the proposal.

Of those asked, 85 per cent said they opposed the proposal.

"Privatisation is even more unpopular than former Labor premier Anna Bligh's asset sales. We expect this government would be punished at the polls," union secretary Alex Scott told AAP.

Treasurer Tim Nicholls claimed the survey of residents in government-held seats was a push-poll, an underhanded marketing ploy used to influence the view of respondents under the guise of a survey.

"They are running a fear mongering and scare campaign in the worst way of totalitarian regimes," he said.
"Get people frenzied up, get people afraid of the future, and then try to stop what should be done from being done in a sensible and logical way."

Mr Scott denies it is push polling and misrepresents facts.

"We just need to make sure that Queensland politics isn't a spectator sport and the only way we can stop privatisation is through a community-based campaign," he said.

One concern in the community is that electricity prices would be pushed up if assets are sold.

Mr Nicholls conceded that prices could go up after privatisation, but argues they'd go up anyway if they were government owned.

"If you look at what happens in business and industry ... you'll generally see prices go up," he said.
"We need to make sure that the government isn't investing more and more tax payers' money into businesses which cost more and more to run."

Mr Nicholls was handed the report by former federal treasurer Peter Costello on February 28 and insists no decisions have been made on outsourcing and asset sales.

Only the executive summary of the report has been publicly released.

Queenslanders would have to wait less than two months to see the full 1000-page, which would be released alongside the government's response.

Mr Nicholls says he's now read the report and would pass it on to cabinet ministers for the first time on Monday.

theaustralian.com.au 10 Mar 2013

The Australian 'sheeple' have literally been screwed over by the government's sale of the people's utilities to the private sector / multinational companies.

The companies are literally allowed to charge whatever they 'feel' like, in addition to fraudulently taking out funds from users accounts for services not rendered.

Another type of fraud supported by the authorities.

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