Qld Budget 2009 Asset Sales - articles and discussion

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Bligh snubs ALP critics over assets sale

Bligh snubs ALP critics over assets sale
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steven Wardill

June 05, 2009 12:00am

ANNA Bligh has further enraged unions with a pledge to forge ahead with a $15bn sale of state assets regardless of what the ALP state conference decides.

Ms Bligh yesterday said the party's current anti-privatisation platform had already been regularly ignored and failed to reflect the realities of modern economies.

"The Government has made its decision on this issue and I would certainly hope to see that the Labor Party platform would ultimately reflect the realities of modern economies," she said.

"But if there is not the capacity to pursuade people, the Government will be firm in its resolve."

The Government this week revealed plans to sell Queensland Motorways, the Port of Brisbane, Forestry Plantations Queensland, the Abbot Point Coal Terminal and Queensland Rail's coal haulage business.

The extent of the planned sell-off shocked unions who believe thousands of workers will be adversely affected if the sales proceed.

The Premier's comments added fuel to the fire in her dispute with unions who were already planning to rally outside the conference in Brisbane.

Electrical Trades Union secretary Peter Simpson said Ms Bligh was "spitting in the eye" of all Labor members with her pledge to ignore their views.

"She probably needs to go back and read the pledges she signed when she became a candidate that say she must follow the party's rules," he said.

Mr Simpson said the Government was effectively handing the next election to the Liberal National Party because the fire sale of assets would be opposed by Queenslanders.

There were comparisons between Ms Bligh's plan and former NSW's premier Morris Iemma's ill-fated attempt to sell off electricity assets.

But Ms Bligh is seeking to avoid a repeat of the humiliating conference defeat dished out to Mr Iemma and she has written to Labor delegates seeking support.

[ozbob]

Media Release 5 June 2009

Queensland:  Stop the sale!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said the Queensland Government must resist the temptation for short term gains and not sell off any of QR's rail assets.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"To ignore the voice of the people will condemn Labor to political oblivion.  We did not vote for asset sales."

"Rather than flog off our assets the Government should review their present expenditures.?

?The Eastern busway should be delayed for example. There is already a railway line in place and the busway is only duplicating essentially what already exists.?

?TransLink adds an unnecessary layer of cost and complexity to our public transport.  Operation control is best given to the operators for efficiency and responsiveness.  TransLink should retain a ticketing and overall integration role only.  Scrap the TransLink call centre, it is a waste of money.?

"Immediately move forward with a proper fare structure for the go card, this will then lead to a high uptake and improved overall efficiency gains for our public transport. ?

?The parallels with the recent failure to flog off taxpayer assets in NSW is further proof the lessons of history are not learnt in the ?smart state?!?

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration

admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

South Brisbane ALP branch votes to expel Anna Bligh from party

South Brisbane ALP branch votes to expel Anna Bligh from party
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Steven Wardill

June 05, 2009 12:21pm

ANNA Bligh's South Brisbane Labor branch wants her expelled from the party over the $15 billion decision to sell Queensland assets.

South Brisbane branch spokesman Tony Reeves has released a statement saying members voted unanimously last night to support a motion to eject the Premier from the party.

Mr Reeves said Ms Bligh was in breach of a party rule which states: "The Party is a democratic socialist party and has the objective of the democratic socialisation of industry, production, distribution and exchange, to the extent necessary to eliminate exploitation and other anti-social features in these fields."

The branch has also released an excerpt of a May 22 ministerial audit from Treasurer Andrew Fraser office which states: "The Bligh Government does not have a program of privatisation. Decisions about an assets ownership are never made to solve revenue problems as they are always re-invested in other public assets."

The move is unlikely to lead to Ms Bligh's expulsion from the party but is a major embarrassment ahead of this weekend's Labor conference in Brisbane.

Unions and party members will protest against the sale of assets, which include Queensland Motorways, the Port of Brisbane and Queensland Rail's coal haulage business.

Mr Reeves said he had drawn the short straw to speak for the branch but members were "enormously angry" at the proposal.

"It is not good and members feel kind of cheated," he said.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Call to expel Bligh from Labor Party

Call to expel Bligh from Labor Party

Tony Moore and Daniel Hurst
June 5, 2009 - 1:13PM

Premier Anna Bligh should be dumped from the ALP because of her support for the privatisation of $15 billion in government owned assets, a branch within her own electorate unanimously voted last night.

The South Brisbane/West End branch in Ms Bligh's electorate of South Brisbane unanimously called for her to be expelled from the ALP over plans to privatise $15 billion of government assets.

The branch says the privatisation breaches ALP rules that say the party was set up for the "democratic socialisation of industry, production, distribution and exchange, to the extent necessary to eliminate exploitation and other anti-social features in these fields."

Branch spokesman Tony Reeves - a former investigative reporter who now lives in Brisbane - said the party meeting was angry and frustrated at the actions of the Premier and Treasurer Andrew Fraser.

"A person moved the motion and spoke to it, another person seconded the motion and there was no objection to it," Mr Reeves said.

"There was anger - I guess is the most appropriate word - at what is going on and it was unanimous.

"There was no support for Bligh or the privatisation of the assets that she is talking about."

However the Labor Party's state president, Andrew Dettmer, has blasted the call to expel Ms Bligh as a ridiculous suggestion that would hinder sensible debate.

"That's stupid. I'm bloody annoyed," Mr Dettmer told brisbanetimes.com.au.

"It's more than extreme - it's senseless," he said.

"It doesn't advance the debate about this important issue for the state by one millimetre - no, not even by one micron."

Mr Dettmer, a vocal critic of the asset sell-off, said despite disagreements within the party, Ms Bligh was an "exemplary" premier who was leading the state in "trying circumstances".

Earlier this week, the Queensland Opposition made it clear the ALP's 2008 Policy Platform clearly rejected privatisation of government-owned assets.

The document, under the section Economic Principles, states that "Labor rejects a program of privatisation of public services such as public hospitals and schools, public enterprises including subsidiary companies or utilities (in particular rail, ports, public hospitals, electricity and water) as an economic strategy".

The document also contains the phrase "privatisation of public enterprises should not be used to solve revenue problems of governments".

[ozbob]

This is a rather dramatic development, even for Queensland ...

[david]

Uh oh...

Didn't something similar happen to Morris Iemma when he tried to sell off the power stations in NSW?

At the risk of turning this into a political debate, I think that now is not the time to be taking such drastic action. The Opposition (and everyone else) should be putting forward ALTERNATIVE plans, rather than just slagging the government. Not everyone has the answers to everything and we should all be putting ideas forward to avoid the sell-off (refer to my previous post). I believe that Anna Bligh thinks that this is the only solution, but there must be other people in Queensland, with more experience in economics, who can come up with another solution. Surely we can't be this bad off, can we?

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Bligh defends privatisation amid party row

Bligh defends privatisation amid party row
June 6, 2009 - 2:30PM

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says it will take time for people to understand the reasons behind the state government's $15 billion asset sell-off.

Her plea for understanding comes as a Labor branch in her electorate reportedly voted to have her expelled from the party amid rising anger over the sale.

The assets up for sale are Queensland Motorways Limited (QML), the Port of Brisbane, Forest Plantations Queensland (FPQ), Queensland Rail's coal freight business and the Abbot Point Coal Terminal.

Speaking at the ALP state conference in Brisbane on Saturday, Ms Bligh again defended the privatisation of the five public assets as a move that would guarantee the state's future.

"This is a tough debate and people feel very passionately about it," she told reporters.

"I'm just going to work very hard all day today and tomorrow to do my best to ensure people understand the gravity of the circumstances we face and how important this decision is to Queensland future."

Ms Bligh said there were already signs people were warming to the idea.

"There's certainly a number of people that have said to me, after my discussions with them, that they have a better understanding of why we're taking this action, but I'm not going to translate that into support just yet," she said.

The premier has faced criticism from the public, as well as from within her own party, following reports the South Brisbane branch voted on Thursday to seek her expulsion.

"I'm thinking of seconding the motion," she joked.

"Look, I think talk of expulsion of anybody is not very helpful in a very important debate.

"Delegates ... are approaching this very seriously and that's all I can ask about them."

Ms Bligh said there was still plenty of room for compromise in terms of looking after workers and their entitlements.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan earlier supported the Queensland government's decision to sacrifice key state assets for the greater good.

"There is no easy way through a global recession and the pressure it puts on government budgets," he said.

"She's taken some tough decisions ... Anna Bligh's priority is infrastructure and jobs."

The state government will lose about $280 million in annual revenue if the sale of all five goes ahead, but also save $12 billion in capital expenditure, Ms Bligh says.

AAP

[ozbob]

Revenue from rail will increase exponentially.  It will be a loss the state will never recover from.

[ozbob]

Couriermail has the same article and blog going here -->  http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25596437-952,00.html

There is very little support for the sales.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Anna Bligh defends privatisation amid Labor party row

Anna Bligh defends privatisation amid Labor party row
Article from: The Courier-Mail

AAP

June 06, 2009 05:25pm

QUEENSLAND Premier Anna Bligh says there will be no negotiating the government's planned $15 billion asset sell-off, despite admitting workers could end up shortchanged.

The sale of five Queensland-owned assets as a buffer ahead of this month's state budget has ignited public anger and fierce opposition from the unions, who claim it will put up to 10,000 jobs at risk.

Even Labor's members have spoken out against the privatisation, with rebel members threatening to have the Premier expelled from the party for breaching ALP rules if the move goes ahead.

But a defiant Ms Bligh, fronting heated debate from unions and riled members at this weekend's ALP conference in Brisbane, today reiterated the need for tough action.

She said she understood why the potential sell-off had sparked furore in the wider community and said it would take time for people to accept it.

"We do have to take this action in order to put our budget on a much more solid footing and guarantee Queensland's future,'' she said.

"That's the tough decision I've made and I'm going to have to stick to.

"We will have to press on.''

The sale of Queensland Motorways Limited, the Port of Brisbane, Forest Plantations Queensland, Queensland Rail's coal freight business and the Abbot Point Coal Terminal is expected to ward off a potential $14 billion deficit in the upcoming state budget.

Ms Bligh believed the sacrifice would save Queensland billions of dollars in capital expenditure and annual upkeeping costs.

She acknowledged the effect it may have on employees and said the government would work with unions to lessen the blow.

"There is a lot of detail to be worked through and there are still opportunities, particularly in relation to protecting workers and their entitlements, to be working with trade unions to get that part of it right,'' she said.

Much of the conference's first day of debates has been played out behind closed doors.

But federal Treasurer Wayne Swan, in town along with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to kick off proceedings, gave Ms Bligh a public pat on the back, saying she had made some tough decisions.

Ms Bligh laughed off a vote in her electorate branch of South Brisbane, which on Thursday decided to seek her expulsion from the party, though the motion will probably be quashed.

She will address the conference tomorrow at the Brisbane Convention Centre, where workers are expected to gather for a mass protest shortly before at 11am.

[ozbob]

Media Release 6 June 2009

Queensland:  Please explain Premier what you mean with respect to QR Passenger

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for a clarification of the commitment to QR Passenger rail services made in a joint statement by the Premier and the Treasurer on the 2nd June  (1).

Robert Dow said:

"In joint statement on the 2nd June by the Premier and the Treasurer it was recorded that  ?The Premier said that passenger rail services played an increasingly important part in the role of Government. Passenger rail is an essential public service and public services cannot be run solely to make a profit. We will not only retain control of Queensland Rail's passenger services but we commit to restructuring and improving these services in the years to come.?

?Can the Premier please explain what ?restructuring and improving services? actually means?

?QR Passenger services have been under resourced for years under a Labor Government.  What is going to change?  Citizens of Queensland would like to know please.?

Reference:

1.   http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=64179

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the ABC News click here!

Vote won't stop privatisation: Bligh

Vote won't stop privatisation: Bligh

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says she will press ahead with privatisation, no matter what happens today at the ALP state conference.

Unionists want the conference to force the parliamentary wing to stick to ALP policy against asset sales, and will rally outside the conference this morning.

Ms Bligh has been negotiating before the vote.

"A number of people have said to me that after my discussions with them they have a better understanding, but I'm not going to claim that's translated to support just yet," she said.

But she says she has the backing of MPs to go ahead regardless.

"We will have to press on," she said. "But there's a lot of detail to work through, and there are still opportunities - particularly in relation to protecting workers and their entitlements - for us to be working with trade unions and making sure we get that part of it right."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he is sure it will be worked out.

"There'll be the usual argy bargy. It is a state conference. Argy bargy tends to happen at those," he said.

Ron Monaghan, from the Queensland Council of Unions, says the protest rally will be well attended.

"I think we'll have up to 2,000 people there," he said. "The four areas of rail, ports, roads, forests are going [to be privatised] apparently, and the union movement is saying that's a fundamental breach of policy."

Party president Andrew Dettmer has urged delegates to be courteous.

"The debate that we have is about the decision to dispose of publicly owned assets as the prime government response designed to return the state's finances to a secure position," he said.

"Disagreement is a natural accompaniment to such a crisis. However it's our collective response to these circumstances as a party which will determine our ongoing viability and future electability

"Many affiliated unions, including my own, and party members are opposed to this.

"I hope we will be able to reach a position which will maintain party unity. However I believe in the importance of debate within the rules of the party, and it is absolutely crucial that we allow all speakers in debates to be heard without interruption."

[ozbob]

Media Release 7 June 2009

SEQ:  Will Labor actually ensure public transport is properly resourced?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said the increase in public transport use in Melbourne last year highlights why we need to properly resource public transport in Queensland.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Last year in Melbourne there was a significant increase in patronage across trains, trams and buses. Trams had the highest rate of passenger growth with usage up 15 per cent to 178 million trips a year. Buses 13.2 per cent around 100 million trips, and train usage up 11 per cent to 214 million trips."

"There is a larger population base in Melbourne, but the increases in Melbourne show what can be achieved with proper resourcing and a rational zonal ticketing system.  Public transport in south-east Queensland is struggling.  Rail has been neglected for years by successive Labor governments.  Buses are approaching saturation.  Brisbane desperately needs an increase in the inner city rail capacity and an inner metropolitan light rail network.  Apart from some funding  for the light rail project at the Gold Coast, the rest of south-east Queensland rail was neglected by the recent Infrastructure Australia funding round."

"The Go card roll out has stalled. Go card uptake is miserable, 70% of public transport trips are still on paper.  Treating commuters like cattle as evidenced by the recent gate changes at Central station will not lead to Go card uptake.  A proper equitable fare structure for the go card will."

"There are renewed commitments to step up rail passenger services as part of the hype for the great discount asset sale according to the Premier. (1)  How we can we believe these assurances in view of the policy reversal with respect to privatisation by the ALP?"

"Feedback received at RAIL Back On Track and observations by members suggests that the present complicated arrangements for public transport in south-east Queensland are not working.  Public transport operators know what is required.  They don't need to be restricted in performing their tasks. Look what is being achieved in Melbourne."

"TransLink adds an unnecessary layer of cost and complexity to our public transport.  Stagnation with the Go card just further demonstrates why there needs to be a shake up. Operation control is best given to the operators for efficiency and responsiveness.  TransLink should retain a ticketing and overall integration role only.  Scrap the TransLink call centre, it is a waste of money."

"Public transport commuters are nervous.  They see the devastation caused by discount asset sales around  the nation.  Why will Queensland be any different? "

Reference:

1.   http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=64179

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[mufreight]

While being of the belief that Rail Back on Track is apolitical it is a lobby group for commuter interests and as such we have the right to express our opinions with regard to Premier Bligh's intended sell off of OUR assets.
There is no advantage to the people of Queensland and the sale of these assets will as it has done with electricity mean increased charges and lower standards of service for services that government is obliged to provide.
Private operators will obviously be seeking to maxamise the return on their investments.
Might I suggest that as individuals you express you opinion of this proposal by the premier and her coterie of thieves seeking to plunder OUR assets by emailing the following, both your local State and Federal MP,
The Premier, The Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Member, The Treasurer and the Transport Minister.
Should you wish to go further feel free to do so, The State Govenor, Trades and Labor Council, the media including your local paper.
Once the level of opposition becomes apparent many, MP's who at this time support the proposal on party lines despite it being contrary to Labor policy will withdraw their support for this proposal and this Premier who with her track record of duplicity to this time has no credibility.
By expressing your opinion YOU could be thew one who makes the difference.
       

[ozbob]

Some photographs from the rally outside the ALP State Conference earlier today.






RAIL:  Not for sale






The president of the ALP in Queensland, Andrew Dettmer addressing the rally



Photographs R Dow 7th June 2009

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Bligh booed, union boss shouted down

Bligh booed, union boss shouted down
June 7, 2009 - 1:37PM

The president of the ALP in Queensland, Andrew Dettmer, has been shouted down by angry unionists outside the party's annual conference in Brisbane.

About 1,000 unionists gathered outside the conference on Sunday morning to protest against the Bligh government's sale of key public assets to fill a budget black hole.

They listened quietly as Mr Dettmer spoke in his role as secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), telling them the union was opposed to the sell-offs.

"It's very clear the privatisation, the sell-off of these assets, will not achieve the aims that have been set for them,'' he said.

Mr Dettmer said Queensland Rail was a major player in the economies of regional Queensland, and privatisations could endanger those regions.

However, when Mr Dettmer said he wanted to comment in his role as party president in Queensland, heckling began.
Mr Dettmer said he wasn't there to defend the party, but he urged the protesters not to leave the ALP.

''(The party) then becomes beholden to those people who would see these panaceas, like privatisation, as a way forward,'' he said.

In the face of continued heckling, loud boos and cries of "shame'', Mr Dettmer abandoned his speech.

Mock auctioneer James Butchers, a branch member of the ALP, then "auctioned off'' 100 years of Labor tradition.

When Premier Anna Bligh arrived she also was given a hostile reception and was booed by the protesting unionists as she walked into the conference.

But she made it clear the union opposition will not influence her government's decision on the sell-offs.

"I don't expect everyone to be happy,'' she told reporters.

"This is a decision that's been made by the Labor party and by the Queensland government, and I won't shirk my responsibilities.''

Asked why she didn't say good day to the demonstrators who greeted her, the premier replied that she didn't think they were in the mood for a conversation.

The premier is due to address the conference.

[ozbob]

ABC News is reporting that the ALP Conference has supported the asset sales.

End of an era.  Now, we will see if Labor's stated commitments concerning passenger rail are worth anything for the future.

[ozbob]

From the ABC News click here!

Bligh has win on asset sell-off

Bligh has win on asset sell-off

Posted 8 minutes ago

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has had a win on the privatisation of a $15 billion suite of public assets at the ALP state conference in Brisbane.

Angry unionists wanted the Labor Party to force the parliamentary wing to stick to its policy against asset sales.

But the conference has passed a motion acknowledging that the sales are going ahead.

Ms Bligh, who was booed and heckled as she entered the conference, told delegates the decision to sell was not easy.

"That means friends, that I know that what I ask of you seems impossible," she said.

"That for many of you, you are shocked that I would even dare to suggest it.

"But what I do today is seek your support to do the painful thing and make the choices that have to be made."

Ms Bligh says the privatisation has been forced by the global financial crisis.

"I accept that there is opposition to our plan to renew Queensland's finances with the program of asset sales," she said.

"I know that these decisions have disappointed and angered many of you.

"So I welcome the chance this afternoon to explain why I believe the time is right for this reform."

Hundreds of unionists staged an angry protest outside the conference, but Ms Bligh's speech inside was greeted with polite applause and just a single boo.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Qld ALP backs Bligh's $15b sell-off

Qld ALP backs Bligh's $15b sell-off
June 7, 2009 - 5:55PM

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has won broad support from her party to privatise assets as she struggles to respond to the global financial crisis and resist a union revolt.

Some unions are now promising a long fight opposing the privatisation campaign.

The ALP state conference voted to back Ms Bligh's priorities of jobs and continued infrastructure spending over union demands to scrap plans to sell off much of the state's railways, its forestry interests and ports.

In the final vote 207 delegates voted to back the government while 156 opposed it and 44 delegates abstained.

The abstentions are believed to include representatives of the left, prompting at least one union to quit the faction.

The urgency motion put to the conference first recognised the damaging effects of the financial crisis and its impact on jobs and state revenues.

"The conference endorses the state government's priorities of jobs and infrastructure," it said.

"Further, given the government's decision to implement the Renewing Queensland plan ... conference calls on the Bligh government to commit to ongoing negotiations with unions in this process to protect job security and working conditions."

The conference debate, from which media were excluded, was reportedly less impassioned than a protest held earlier in the day by about 1,000 unionists demanding the privatisations be axed.

After the vote, the Premier, who had said the sell-offs would go ahead regardless of any conference resolution, said it was a sign of the party's political maturity that it had backed the government's position.

"I understand why people feel so strongly about this issue," Ms Bligh said.

"The Labor Party today clearly expressed its preference that these assets stay in public ownership, but they equally resolved ... to understand and recognise the harsh economic reality and to accept that government has to take these tough decisions."

The secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, Owen Doogan, said the state conference had reaffirmed its opposition to privatisation.

"We certainly will be campaigning for the government to reconsider their position in the part-privatisation of Queensland Rail," Mr Doogan said.

He said the resolution, opposed by his union, had not approved the sale.

"Our position is they should not be going ahead," Mr Doogan said.

"I am absolutely delighted that my colleagues in the Labor Party refused to budge on the policy of the party, the platform of the party."

Mr Doogan promised to continue opposition to privatisation, even vowing to campaign for the "renationalisation" of Queensland Rail if it is sold off.

The state secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, Peter Simpson, said the government would use the resolution to justify the sales of public assets.

"It's simply a spin doctor exercise that can be relied upon down the track to justify breaching the party platform," Mr Simpson said.

He said he was disappointed at vacant seats which would otherwise have been occupied by left-wing unions.

"We're no longer in the left," Mr Simpson said.

AAP

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Delegates give green light to push ahead with $15b sale

Delegates give green light to push ahead with $15b sale
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steven Wardill and Rosemary Odgers

June 08, 2009 12:00am

PREMIER Anna Bligh has been given the green light by the Labor Party to push ahead with her $15 billion sell-off of state-owned assets.
Ms Bligh yesterday scored a narrow win among Labor's 406 delegates at the party's annual conference after days of tense behind-the-scenes negotiations.

The victory ensures Ms Bligh will receive the support of her Caucus, avoiding the situation faced by former NSW premier Morris Iemma when he was trounced during his attempt to sell electricity assets.

Ms Bligh said she was pleased the party had recognised the tough situation the Government faced as it struggles to respond to the global financial crisis but acknowledged significant opposition to her plan remained.

"I'm so grateful that at the end of the day, they understood the unprecedented economic circumstances we face and that they have been prepared to face that in tough times, governments face tough decisions," she said.

A carefully-worded motion, acknowledging the financial crisis meant assets would have to be sold, was passed late yesterday by 207 votes to 156.

Most of Ms Bligh's support came from the Right faction, which swung behind the Premier en masse, saving her from a significant loss.

A further 44 delegates abstained, most of whom were from unions of Ms Bligh's own Left faction that opposed the sale of public assets but did not want to deny the Premier her victory.

These included the Nurses Union and the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union.

However, the victory was not without its victims with the Electrical Trades Union dramatically quitting the Left because of the compromise deal entered into by their factional friends.

ETU secretary Peter Simpson slammed the outcome as a "sham".

"This is simply a spin doctor exercise to justify breaching party platform," he said.

Rail Tram and Bus Union state secretary Owen Doogan said his members had been "betrayed".

Union leaders who led a protest outside the conference, which fell well short of the 2000 participants predicted, have vowed to continuethe fight.

The assets to be sold over the next three to five years include Queensland Rail's coal haulage business, the Port of Brisbane and Queensland Motorways.

In a speech before the vote, Ms Bligh said: "I will not be the leader that sees Labor's well-deserved reputation for responsible economic management destroyed.

"I will not be the Premier that allows a global financial crisis to defeat us, not on my watch."

[Dean Quick]

I attended the rally outside the ALP state conference yesterday with some of my fellow workers and I can honestly say that I have never witnessed such an outpouring of anger at any rally that I have ever attended. Bligh has obviously underestimated the tenacity and resolve of the workers in this state who can clearly see the folly of selling off public assets and now has a battle on her hands!!! 

[ozbob]

Media Release 8 June 2009

SEQ:  Now for the rail ramp up!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said the release of Information Sheet number 31 by The Commonwealth's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics titled 'Urban passenger transport: how people move about in Australian cities' confirms why south-east Queensland must continue to maximise our rail transport, light and heavy rail. (1)

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Across the eight Australian state capitals in the period 2004 to 2008, in terms of public transport,  heavy rail use increased by 23%,  light rail increased by 10%, and bus increased by 11%. Nationally, urban public transport increased by 18%.   Use of cars, motor cycles and commercial vehicles increased by only by 1% during the same period.

"This damning analysis exposes the gross distortions and waste of public funds on road expenditure when in fact we should be investing in public transport.

"Heavy and light rail is where the bulk capacity to continue to provide economical, safe, sustainable mass transit public transport will be gained.

"In  a joint statement on the 2nd June by the Queensland Premier and the Treasurer it was recorded that  'The Premier said that passenger rail services played an increasingly important part in the role of Government. Passenger rail is an essential public service and public services cannot be run solely to make a profit. We will not only retain control of Queensland Rail's passenger services but we commit to restructuring and improving these services in the years to come.' (2)

"RAIL Back On Track welcomes the commitment by the Premier and Treasurer to improve rail services.

"Now that the party games are over, can we start on the rail ramp up today please?"

Reference:

1.  http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/05/Files/IS31.pdf

2.  http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=64179

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[mufreight]

Seems that somewhat belatedly this incompetent and duplicit government has become aware that commuters vote.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail Editorial 9th June 2009 click here!

Will sell-off derail public transport?

Will sell-off derail public transport?
Article from: The Courier-Mail
Editorial

June 09, 2009 12:00am

NOW that Premier Anna Bligh has won her party's acquiescence to privatising big chunks of the state's income-producing assets, she needs to explain a few things to the Queensland public.

One aspect of her policy that needs to be cleared up quickly is the question of how passenger rail is going to fare when the profitable arms of Queensland Rail fall into private hands.

Despite the large cross-subsidy that occurs with the state's rail services now, the cost of subsidising passenger rail in Queensland just keeps skyrocketing.

The Government keeps on saying it has big plans to expand and improve southeast Queensland's commuter rail network, including the addition of an underground metro service.

Yet it is letting go of the very assets hitherto relied on to ease the burden of paying for a part of the rail network that cannot hope to make a profit on its own.

While the cost of subsidising commuter rail travel three years ago was a hefty $5.40 for each passenger trip, it is now running at $8.25, a jump of more than 50 per cent.

That is much more than the subsidy paid in other metropolitan centres to help maintain their public transport services.

In Melbourne, the figure is closer to $4 for each passenger trip across the city's public transport network.

The explanation for the increase is the 45 extra services the network has added to its timetable over the period and rises in fuel costs.

Hardly an encouraging sign that public transport costs are about to ease anytime soon.

Then there is the truly massive figure paid to subsidise regional passenger rail.

Taxpayers paid $900 for every rail passenger who travelled between Brisbane and Cairns last financial year.

Such is the cost of running a service the Premier has promised to continue supporting. Ms Bligh says the sell-off of QR's freight arm means the state will not have to pay for building an estimated $7 billion worth of infrastructure to maintain that network.

But she is less clear when explaining the benefits that will accrue to passenger rail. Questioned on this issue last week, she said public transport is just where the Government should be directing its investment.

The decision to sell off rail assets "gives us and future governments the best chance of investing in the passenger network by not investing in a coal network which the private sector is more than capable of doing", she said.

In other words, the Government needs to be taken on trust when it says passenger rail is an essential public service and will not suffer as a result of its privatisation plans.

Ensuring that Queensland has a "world class" passenger rail service in coming years requires vigilance, and not just of the financial kind.

For example, is it really essential to a "world class" service for the Government to spend thousands of dollars in ticketing and signage costs because someone in the transport bureaucracy has decided that some rail stations need a name change?

Expansion of southeast Queensland's public transport network is a metaphor for its current state. The destination carries much promise. Getting there is the tough part.

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

Union fears for QR jobs

Union fears for QR jobs

9th June 2009

UNION leaders have warned the State Government's partial sell-off of Queensland Rail could cost more than 500 jobs in Ipswich alone.

Premier Anna Bligh has won the formal backing of the Labor Party to offload QR's coal division to the highest bidder to offset the state's massive $15 billion debt.

But 800 workers at the Redbank rail workshops - where coal wagons are built and maintained - fear privatisation will lead to huge redundancies.

Robbie Dreier, Redbank delegate of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, said: ?Two-thirds of the jobs here will go because the work won't be coming in.

?There's a lot of people upset and worried - job security's a major concern. The privatisation announcement has been a real shock for everybody.

?Coal freight brings billions of dollars a year into the State Government. Surely that money could be used to pay off the government debt??

Mr Dreier said the AMWU and other unions would continue to lobby local MPs about the privatisation plan.

?A sell-off would be a rash, ill-considered and ultimately foolhardy decision and we beg the Bligh government to reconsider,? he said.

?Other examples of private asset sell-offs have been disastrous - look at the Telstra, electricity retail, Commonwealth Bank and Qantas floats.

?In all these cases, prices have gone up, jobs were slashed and services reduced.?

Ipswich MP and Transport Minister Rachel Nolan told State Parliament on May 21 that Queensland Rail was ?not for sale?.

?At the time, that was my understanding,? she said yesterday. ?This is a recent decision.?

She said privatisation would not necessarily lead to job losses, and named Qantas and Brisbane Airport as successful companies that were once publicly owned.

She assured Ipswich workers their voices were being heard by the Labor Government.

?The government will be consulting with the unions and others about how to structure this sale to ensure people's job security,? she said.

?We understand their concerns and job security is a priority.

?The timeframe for privatisation is three to five years. There's a long road ahead of us.?

Ms Bligh won the privatisation vote at Sunday's ALP conference by 207 votes to 156, but many unionists remain unhappy with the assets sell-off.

AMWU state organiser Steve Franklin said the union would oppose the sale ?all the way?.

?There's a lot of anger,? Mr Franklin said.

?Our guys are going to be pretty hurt over the Labor Government trying to do this.

?They're disenfranchising a whole heap of union members across the state.?

He added that some union members in Queensland might consider cutting off funding for the Labor Party or stop voting for them.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Queensland unions 'a gutless bunch of fairies'

Queensland unions 'a gutless bunch of fairies'
June 9, 2009 - 8:13AM

Queensland's deputy opposition leader has described the state's unions as "a gutless bunch of fairies".

Lawrence Springborg says unions have sold out their members by passing a motion at the ALP state conference on the weekend acknowledging the Bligh government's asset sales will go ahead.

The motion was carried after Premier Anna Bligh was jeered and booed by union protesters outside the conference, and despite the fact that unions didn't change their stance against privatisation.

Mr Springborg has told the ABC the union leadership wimped out.

"The unions on the weekend proved themselves to be a gutless bunch of fairies that wilted like a lemon meringue pie as soon as the pressure went on them," he said.

"Rank and file union members today are disgusted in their union leadership that's absolutely rolled over to the Labor Party and put their own self interest first."

State ALP President and union boss Andrew Dettmer, has brushed off Mr Springborg's comments.

"He is completely irrelevant to the political processes in Queensland, and now he's telling trade unions what we're doing in the Labor Party is irrelevant?" he said.

"I think he needs to take a bit of a cold shower and maybe eat one of those lemon meringue pies - perhaps he was suffering from a bit of low blood sugar."

AAP

[O_128]

I also believe the eastern busway is a waste of  money jsut put bus lanes on old Cleveland road stuff the cars. Once again Feeder buses are the answer it is a  5 min drive from capalaba bus station to birkdale

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Andrew Fraser sees sacrifices before surplus returns

Andrew Fraser sees sacrifices before surplus returns
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Steven Wardill

June 16, 2009 12:00am

QUEENSLANDERS have been told they will have to make sacrifices so the State Government can plot a path back to surplus in today's slash-and-burn Budget.

Premier Anna Bligh yesterday said this year's Budget process was the toughest of her political career but the measures were necessary to restore fiscal balance.

The Government will today unveil a Budget deficit for the 2008/09 financial year that is expected to exceed the $1.6 billion estimated just four months ago.

    In depth: State Budget 2009

However, asset sales, the abolition of the fuel subsidy and a host of other tough measures are planned to help get the Budget back in black over the next four to five years.

The measures are expected to spawn widespread angst with Ms Bligh's recently elected Labor team.

However, Ms Bligh said while many of the measures may be unpopular, they were necessary.

"This is a Budget that will require all of us to make some sacrifices," she said.

"But those sacrifices will help us protect what is most important, our building program, delivering jobs, delivering infrastructure and our services in a young and growing state."

About $14 billion has been wiped from the Government's revenue streams by the global financial crisis and the Budget will detail significant falls in mining royalties, property taxes and GST revenue.

However, the Government has wrung some good news measures out of the gloom.

The duty-free threshold for first-home buyers purchasing vacant land will increase from $150,000 to $200,000.

The measure will save first-time buyers up to $5675.

Annual electricity rebates for pensioners will also rise 15.67 per cent in line with power prices, up from $165 to $190. An $80 million research facility at the new Queensland Children's Hospital will be funded along with a principal's leadership school.

But Treasurer Andrew Fraser said the Budget was not about "bouquets on Wednesday morning" and the Government was not aiming to restore its AAA credit rating.

"The choice here is we could immediately do what the rating agencies want of us, that is massively increase taxes and massively cut the building program," he said. "We are not going to do that, that would be a recipe for disaster for the economy over the next two years when it needs it most."

Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek said: "They've gone bust in a boom. How on earth did this happen?"

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Budget's big spending initiatives

Budget's big spending initiatives
Daniel Hurst
June 16, 2009 - 3:32PM

The Queensland Government plans to spend $18 billion on infrastructure projects over the next 12 months, including hospital upgrades and the big-ticket Gold Coast Rapid Transit project.

Treasurer Andrew Fraser described the big-spending building program as the centrepiece of his second budget.
He defended borrowing to fund the projects, insisting the infrastructure program would provide much-needed jobs amid the economic turmoil.

The biggest slice of the funding will go towards transport and road projects, with $7.3 billion allocated.

In Brisbane, this includes $172 million for the Northern Busway, $138 million for the Eastern Busway, $259 million to continue building the second Gateway Bridge.

The State Government will also spend $360 million upgrading rail infrastructure on the Citytrain network.

It will contribute $135 million to the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project in the coming financial year as part of a total state contribution of $464 million.

This funding comes on top of a $365 million federal contribution to the light rail project and $120 million from the Gold Coast City Council.

The Budget allocates nearly $1.3 billion to health infrastructure, including $268 million towards construction of the controversial Queensland Children?s Hospital and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital precinct.

Almost $222 million will be spent redeveloping the Cairns, Mackay, Townsville, Rockhampton and Mount Isa hospitals.

A further $31 million will fund emergency department upgrades at Ipswich, Caboolture and Toowoomba hospitals and a pediatric emergency department at the Prince Charles.

The infrastructure spending also includes allocations for education projects ($1.84 billion), water projects ($1.22 billion) and energy projects ($3.2 billion).

[stephenk]

Well $360m being spent on CityTrain network infrastructure is better than nothing. I'd like to know where this $360m is going to be sent though!

[Sunbus610]

A better breakdown of how this $360 million is going to be spent on QR's Citytrain network/infrastructure would be nice to see from Captain Bligh or what's his name again......arrh that's right, Andrew Fraser.

[Jon Bryant]

Transport spending still significantly less than road transport.  Same old mistakes creating even worse traffic problems.  Sigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Unions plot campaign against privatisation 'sell-out'

Unions plot campaign against privatisation 'sell-out'
June 20, 2009 - 5:13PM

Queensland unions will hold a five-week campaign across the state to oppose the Bligh Labor government's privatisation plans.

Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Ron Monaghan said the campaign will include community forums to tap into community dissent over the budget measures.

"The sound position of the public is they don't support the privatisation of public assets," Mr Monaghan said.

"These public assets are seen as the property of the public of Queensland and they actually generate profits ... for the people of Queensland."

Mr Monaghan predicted a long campaign in opposition to the government's privatisations, announced in Tuesday's state budget.

A rally in Rockhampton on Monday, June 29, will begin the push to keep assets in public hands said secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions in Rockhampton, Craig Allen.

Mr Allen said voters who supported Labor candidates at the March 21 election feel "sold out" by the government.

He said the feeling of betrayal accounted for the slump in the government's popularity in the latest poll.

"The polls were indicating before (the budget) that Labor had a comfortable lead and now that's gone," Mr Allen said.

The poll of 800 voters taken on Wednesday and Thursday nights and published by The Courier-Mail found Labor's primary vote has nosedived from 42.2 per cent at the election to 36 per cent, while the LNP's support has jumped from 41.6 per cent in March to 47 per cent now.

Mr Allen put the chance of Labor being re-elected in 2012 as "slim".

He said the state government's decision to sell off large parts of Queensland Rail, forestry interests and ports is short-sighted.

"Without the sale of these assets they will be back in surplus by 2016 anyway," Mr Allen said.

"But if you take a thousand jobs out of Rocky you put a significant dent in the community."

Labor MPs Rob Schwarten and Paul Hoolihan will be invited to address the rally to explain their attitudes to privatisation, Mr Allen said.

The rally will be held outside Mr Schwarten's Rockhampton office and will precede a community forum that evening.

The Galaxy poll of 800 voters taken on Wednesday and Thursday nights found 72 per cent of Queenslanders believe they were misled by Ms Bligh over the future of the fuel subsidy and asset sales.

AAP

[mufreight]

The solution is quite simple, the unions collectively withdraw all support for the Government and all Government members,
This exercise in bastardry selling off assets that we own by the Premier and her coterie of sycophants will see Labor justly consigned to the political wilderness for eons with the people of Queensland left to foot the bill.
If the sitting Government members are left with no illusions that they will not only lose Government at the next election but also their seats if this madness is allowed to proceed they will in the interests of their own self-preservation roll the Premier and overturn this stupidity so there is still hope that reason may prevail.

[ozbob]

From the RTSA National Journal No.44 - June 2009 click here!

Point of View

Point of View
Max Michell

It is now twelve years since the first of a rash of rail privatisations was sealed. The residue of Australian National, left after the interstate business had been hived off to National Rail, was sold off in three pieces to Great Southern Railway (passenger), Genesee & Wyoming (SA regional freight, including the isolated Eyre Peninsula) and Wisconsin Central (Tasmania). None of these would qualify as mainstream businesses, but interestingly two of the three buyers are still there running more or less the same businesses that they acquired back in 1997. It looked to be a good start.

The next property on the block was V/Line Freight which was handed to RailAmerica in 1999 as part of the frenetic ?Kennetisation? of public enterprises in Victoria at that time. This was followed in 2000 by the sale of Westrail to a consortium of G & W and Wesfarmers, which resulted in a folding of the SA and WA rail businesses into one entity known as Australian Railroad Group (ARG).

At the same time a bit of self interest on the part of NSW and the Feds saw National Rail and FreightCorp (NSW) bundled and put up as a package - subsequently to be known as Pacific National. Unlike previous rail sales, which predominantly involved overseas rail operators and companies, this one went to locals - logistics company Toll in a 50/50 partnership with stevedore Patrick - both well known in the transport scene in Australia.

This sale was consummated in 2002, leaving just Queensland Rail intact as a Government owned rail freight enterprise. At that time the Pacific National acquisition was hailed as a good choice since Toll and Patrick between them ?controlled? a very considerable part of the land freight business in this country. In an early 2002 RTSA editorial I wrote ?.....quite a significant new direction, and may signify a maturing of the privatisation process, with increasing confidence that rail privatisation can work with relatively low risk.?

The Toll/ Patrick offer had been carefully crafted to placate the many and varied interest groups associated with the sale - $50 million toward infrastructure conditional on matching Government money and ARTC getting a lease of NSW interstate routes; surplus locos and wagons (120 and 650 respectively) to be ?made available?, thus placating the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, plus funding for the NSW ?Broadacre? project (grain terminals and trains) to maintain the confidence of, and service to, rural interest groups.

Little did anyone realise quite how much the rail industry would be churned in the next seven years and the degree of what would appear to be quite destructive behaviour on the part of the new owners.

A major failing at the time of sale was to assume that the buyers would be altruistic - all fired up to make rail work for them. In fact the oversight (a serious one in hindsight) was to ignore the extent that directors seem obsessed with their own welfare and benefits, followed by concern for the remaining shareholders, and how little they care about anything that looks to be long term. Rape and pillage is now; not at some time in the future!

There were early signs - Freight Australia (the RailAmerica operating name) became quite adversarial in regard to a number of major projects planned in Victoria, notably the Regional Fast train project and the plan to standardise a large proportion of the Victorian freight network.

Anecdotal stories were even then coming out of Victoria indicating that the track was degrading at a rapid rate. An estimated 25,000 timber sleepers were being replaced each year where at least 100,000 were required to maintain ?steady state? track condition. Even worse was that most of the sleeper replacements were on the passenger network which was covered by a substantial passenger operating subsidy. This would suggest that the freight network was being left with near enough to zero real maintenance. The new Pacific National did dispose of locos and wagons, many of which were in fact totally useless to other operators and in a deal that locked the assets out of any immediate role for any other operator. The $50 million has never showed its head again and the ?Broadacre? commitment has finally been disbanded to the disadvantage of much of regional NSW. But worse was to come.

Pacific National, in actions typical of its parents, went on a buying spree snapping up the Tasmanian rail business in early 2004 and the Freight Australia rail business in late 2004, both of which had deteriorated significantly under their previous owners.

The ACCC were consistently being wrong footed in one way or another on just about every condition they placed on transactions, or lack of, involving Toll and/or Patrick. In 2006 Toll became carnivorous, engaging in a long running and acrimonious campaign to take over Patrick, eventually succeeding in early 2007 subject to some quite specific conditions imposed by the ACCC. In typical fashion these were circumvented by creating a completely new and separate entity, Asciano, largely built around the Pacific National rail business and the Patrick stevedoring empire.

It might be imagined that a company that was intent on acquisition as a means of growth (beats organic growth every day!) would be quite accustomed to doing Due Diligence on the properties they acquire - making sure that what you think you are getting is what you are actually getting. Apparently not!

In recent times there has been the inglorious spectacle of a supposedly responsible company going ?cap in hand? to the Victorian government asking that the track lease be bought back, followed by a similar appeal in Tasmania. In actual fact Asciano did very well out of the solution in both cases, making considerable financial gains from degraded properties that basically cost them very little to maintain (since they only ever did an absolute minimum, much as Freight Australia had done before them). The cynics were beginning to suspect that the core business was a variant on asset stripping.

In Tasmania, Asciano has recently complained that the track is being under-maintained, when in fact sources suggest that more has been done to improve the track there (under a recent State/ Federal agreement) than has been done in all the preceding 10 years. At the same time we were told that Asciano had put their residual Tasmanian business on the market, followed by yet another change of direction - in this case they have declared they will walk from Tasmania at the end of June. (See separate story in News section.)

The situation in Victoria is a bit different - in that case Asciano appears to have been busy stripping the regional network of many of its rolling stock assets, such that it is perilously close to a non functioning system. The outcomes in both cases are the same - the company has got away with a profitable result from a property that has been significantly devalued on their watch, while at the same time virtually destroying any value that the business once had, or would have for any future owner. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Roman slash and burn strategies. While all this was going on in Australia, Toll acquired a controlling interest in the troubled New Zealand Tranz Rail business in 2004. The track which had been neglected by the previous shareholders returned to government ownership in line with Toll?s takeover of the ?above-rail? business. Any romance was brief and the ongoing financial performance of the business and disputes with the government over track access fees saw Toll exit in 2007, selling it to the Government for almost double the amount they acquired it for.

It is hardly surprising that there seems to be a pattern in all this, none of which has anything to do with good business management; even less to do with good business management of a railway.

Back in 2005 a consultant?s report to the World Bank concluded that ?Overall the rail privatisation experience in Australia and New Zealand has been positive ...? This assessment seems to have been based on financial results, which in the hard light of subsequent events were in fact only being achieved by ?consuming? asset life of the track and to a lesser degree the rolling stock. It was not and never has been on the basis of long term sustainable profits and it was not, and unfortunately never has been, a good outcome for customers, the community or Governments. Hugh Mackay has observed that ?It is what they do, not what they say, that matters.? If this equation is used to evaluate the Pacific National (and Toll) score card, it would look something like this -

New Zealand - FAILED
Tasmania - FAILED
Victoria - LIKELY TO FAIL
National / NSW - UNDERPERFORMING

An American friend and experienced railroader has commented ?The key is to put someone in there that knows how to run these types of operations, and their business is not clouded by competing interests ......? If it is that obvious from half a world away, how come we couldn?t see it until, the damage was done here. Maybe we had clouded vision emanating from the enthusiastic imposition of a competition regime on a naive country.

Whatever the reason, we must surely be aware by now that rail privatisation, as we know it, is a flawed and unsustainable concept that has proved be quite destructive of otherwise valuable public assets.

[Jon Bryant]

OzBob

Whilst I am sure the details of the article are corrrect.  I do not agree that it is privitisation that has resulted in the decline of these services.

I put the blame on our respective level governments who have spent 40 years investing in road-based solutions whilst spending little to nothing on rail.  How can any operation thrive against such competition.  We should be lucky they still operate at all.

Lets not spend our energies fighting privitisation when it is the investment in rail infrastructre that is the key.  If our rail netowrks had received the attention our roads have over the last 50 years we would see 80-90% of freight moving by rail and these companies would be cash cows.

[ozbob]

The Point of View above is an interesting perspective.  A view from a rail insider it does highlight a number of the fundamental issues. Privatisation has seen asset stripping occur, that is beyond doubt.  I agree, the fundamental issue is a lack of investment.  This occurred in part because of the road mindset.  As road transport costs soar and deteriorate it is now clear what must occur.  Governments are now starting to to correct the wrongs and return the assets to public ownership.  In turn investment, from federal and state governments is now occurring.  The next phase will see the shift from roads back to rail for the long haul freight.

Standby for a sustained and strong effort to stop the asset sales from the unions.  They are united and will be a strong influence on the outcomes of the Bligh fire sales.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Bligh quizzed on asset sales, credit rating in hearings

Bligh quizzed on asset sales, credit rating in hearings
Gabrielle Dunlevy
July 14, 2009 - 12:29PM

The Queensland government has been accused at the annual round of budget estimates hearings of hiding its decision to sell public assets.

Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek asked Premier Anna Bligh on Tuesday whether she deceived voters by not announcing the plan to sell assets before the March election.

"During the election you talked about tough decisions and now you say that the asset sales are those kind of tough decisions," Mr Langbroek said.

"Why did you choose to hide the possibility of asset sales during the election campaign and deliberately mislead the people of Queensland?"

Ms Bligh denied the issue was kept from voters.

"We made it very clear that these were the sort of things that might have to be contemplated," she said.

"We actually expressly said that we could not rule them out."

Mr Langbroek also asked whether the government had received advice about the downgrading of the state's credit rating prior to the election, but failed to tell voters.

The opposition says Labor rushed to the election, which wasn't due until September, because it was aware of the impending economic spiral.

Ms Bligh said she had received no "specific advice".

"Clearly the rating agencies had issued public statements that there was some pressure on our rating, that was in the public arena," she said.

"The rating agencies made the statement publicly and I called the election three days later so I don't think you can say I hid it."

The estimates hearings continue for the next two weeks.

AAP

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

Bliar Bliar

Bliar Bliar

Chris Garry | 15th July 2009

PREMIER Anna Bligh has been accused of ?rewriting history? over her plans to push through a privatisation plan that could cost 500 Ipswich workers their jobs.

Rail workers reacted angrily yesterday after Ms Bligh told Parliament that voters knew Queensland Rail's coal freight business could be sold off before they went to the polls in the last state election.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union president Bruce Mackie said voters had been completely in the dark about the sell-off until it was announced in June - two months after Ms Bligh won the election.

It is feared the coal freight sale could lead to 500 redundancies at QR's Redbank workshops.

Ms Bligh went on the defensive when asked by Opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek if she deceived voters by not announcing the plan before the March election.

?We made it very clear that these were the sort of things that might have to be contemplated,? Ms Bligh said. ?We actually expressly said that we could not rule them out.?

Mr Mackie said Ms Bligh had conveniently rewritten history.

He said he had already been in contact with union members in Ipswich, who were stunned by Ms Bligh's claims.

?A poll of members at Redbank Rail Workshops today found not one union member remembers Anna Bligh forecasting privatisation,? Mr Mackie said.

?In fact they feel betrayed because they supported their local member and new Transport Minister, Rachel Nolan, in her election campaign, only for her to sell their jobs down the Bremer River.?

The sale of Queensland Motorways, the Port of Brisbane, Forest Plantations Queensland, Queensland Rail's coal freight business and the Abbot Point Coal Terminal is expected to ward off a $14 billion budget deficit.

There are 800 workers at the Redbank Rail Workshops, where coal wagons are built and maintained.

Mr Mackie said not one of his union's members would have voted for Ms Bligh if they knew she was privatising QR.

?It was actually Anna Bligh who accused the LNP of potentially selling government assets, including rail, ports and forestry, which is why most union members voted Labor,? he said.

Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Ron Monaghan said he did not recall Ms Bligh mentioning privatisation before the election.

?There was no indication she would privatise anything, none at all,? he said.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Anna Bligh's asset sales turn tide in safe seats

Anna Bligh's asset sales turn tide in safe seats
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steven Wardill

July 20, 2009 12:00am

ANNA Bligh's fire sale of Queensland assets has had far-reaching ramifications, with Labor losing its grip on some of the party's safest seats.

Detailed polling has revealed the tidal wave of opposition to the asset sales has imperiled previously safe territory from Townsville in the north to Burleigh in the south.

The polling, commissioned by the Electrical Trades Union, was conducted by one of Labor's favoured polling companies, UMR research.

As part of its campaign against privatisation that will include billboards and bumper stickers, the ETU will write to Labor MPs today warning they risked their careers if they did not oppose the sales.

As well as Townsville and Burleigh, the polling also surveyed Treasurer Andrew Fraser's seat of Mount Coot-tha, Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten's seat of Rockhampton and Transport Minister Rachel Nolan's Ipswich seat. Polling for each revealed a significant swing away from Labor, with voters steadfastly opposed to the asset sales that include Queensland Rail's coal haulage business, Forestry Plantations Queensland and several ports.

With the Government already struggling to retain marginal seats, the extent of the outrage at asset sales will widen concern about the electoral impact of the decision.

The poll found a 9 per cent swing against the Government in the five seats surveyed, a result that would decimate Labor if repeated statewide.

Asset sales were highly unpopular among "soft voters" ? those unsure which side they would opt for ? with 60 per cent indicating they were now less likely to vote Labor. The sales were the most common reason Queenslanders gave for switching allegiances, followed by economic mismanagement, broken promises, fuel subsidy abolition and Premier Anna Bligh "acting like a dictator".

Queenslanders were opposed to all the sales, regardless of the asset's role. The highest opposition was recorded against the sell-off of QR, at 70 per cent, compared to the lowest, Abbot's Point Coal Terminal, at 60 per cent.

The biggest swing away from Labor was in Rockhampton, with a 15 per cent decline in two-party preferred support, enough for Mr Schwarten to just hold on. Mr Fraser would also only just retain his seat with a 5 per cent swing away from Labor in Mount Coot-tha.

However, Townsville and Burleigh would both be lost, with swings away from Labor in those seats of 9 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.