Stop the sell-off
Rank and file ALP members met in the week leading up to Christmas to plan a campaign in conjunction with Unions NSW to oppose the proposed privatisation of NSW's electricity industry. Labor Tribune received the following report of the meeting.
I attended the rank and file meeting at the AMWU Tom Mann Theatre on Tuesday December 18. There were about 50 people present from a variety of ALP branches mostly from the innner city.
A comprehensive report was given by Coogee MP Paul Pearce, the essence of which was:
• ALP state caucus called at short notice (Friday afternoon for Monday morning).
• Premier spoke for more than an hour.
• difficult questions asked from the ALP right indicating there is no factional support locked away for this proposal.
• real concern about what's next, several mentions of the 'Snowy' [the NSW government was forced to abandon a plan to sell the Snowy hydroelectric scheme earlier this year.
• no one outside the Ministry spoke in favour
Essence of the NSW government's proposition is:
• privatisation of retail.
• generators leased for 'x' period.
• poles and wires publicly owned.
• but, proposition full of fine print.
• current ALP policy provides a 12 point criteria to be satisfied before privatisation is considered.
• there does not appear to be officer support for the proposition.
The following resolutions were passed:
1 This meeting of R & F members calls upon the ALP NSW Parliamentary members to: abide by their written committment to uphold ALP policy; and oppose the privatisation of the power industry.
2 This meeting resolves that a rally will be held of party members outside the Sussex St head office of the ALP during February 2008 (or earlier if circumstances dictate) for the purpose of party members to express their opposition to the privatisation of public assets such as the power industry, ferries, State Lottery and rail.
3 This meeting resolves that a campaign committee be formed to oppose the privatisation of the power industry and other publicly owned assets and corporations/businesses and that alternative strategies be developed.
4 This meeting of rank-and-file members call for an urgent meeting of the ALP Administrative Committee to be called for the purpose of discussing the privatisation of the power industry and that this meeting should be held as soon as practicable but no later than January 12, 2008.
5 This meeting calls for a Special Conference of the NSW ALP to be held to address the issue of the privatisation of the power industry. Further, that this conference should occur before any final decision can be made on the privatisation of power.
6 That this meeting of ALP rank and file members resolves that a special meting of ALP rank and file members be held at Unions NSW auditorium during February 2008 to express their opposition to the privatisation of public assets in NSW.
7 That the Party Officers exert maximum pressure on the State government to cease the Howard style government ads as contravening ALP policy because: the ALP is against this wasteful type of advertising; and the privatisation scheme breaches party policy and has not been endorsed by a State ALP conference.
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