The Guardian 27 February, 2008
DC gears up against
electricity privatisation
Denis Doherty
The Sydney District Committee (DC) of the Communist Party of Australia has embraced the campaign against the privatisation by the Iemma government of the state’s electricity. The DC has written and produced a leaflet explaining the Communist Party’s opposition to the privatisation.
The union movement, encouraged by its success over Howard’s WorkChoices legislation, is determined to prevent this privatisation and has launched the ‘Stop the sell-off campaign’ with a web site, a petition and a demonstration (Tuesday February 26) as The Guardian goes to press. The rally was in Macquarie Street outside Parliament House as the NSW Parliament sat for the first time in 2008. The DC was present at the rally.
The DC has decided to support the Unions NSW petition and is aiming to collect a great many signatures, including at the stalls and events around Sydney. Members and supporters are being urged to collect at least two pages each of signatures on the Unions NSW petition from friends and workmates.
Reports so far
The Auburn Branch reports that they have been busily collecting signatures in the main street of Auburn on Saturday mornings. The Branch was also present at the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) Festival at Warwick Farm collecting a great number of signatures as well as many signatures on the party postcard.
Blacktown Branch has had two stalls in Mt Druitt on the last two Saturdays and reported a good response from most people.
The Port Jackson Branch has been running its own stalls in Glebe Pt road and supporting the local Your Rights @ Work group as it collects signatures and distributes information on the privatisation of electricity.
Campaigning Materials
Besides the leaflets mentioned above, the Party has used its website (www.cpa.org.au) to provide further materials for the campaigns to stop this terrible attack on the resources of the community by the NSW government. Those with access to the web will see the petition, the leaflet and the placard masters for demonstrations or stalls.
The DC in partnership with Port Jackson Branch have designed and distributed almost 5,000 postcards, which show a "blacked out Sydney" after privatisation. Victoria’s privatised electricity has 30 percent more blackouts than the government-run NSW electricity.
These postcards have been well received and we have had many good reports on the cards. One of the most pleasing was a report that a member of the Greek community has had 66 signed and sent. Great work!