CPA - The Guardian

The Queensland Council of Unions says that unions are furious over the decision by the Bligh Government to sell off government assets under the “Reviewing Queensland Plan”. The five assets that are planned to be sold off over the next three years are:

Forestry Plantations Queensland ($500 million);
Queensland Motorways (3 billion);
Port of Brisbane Corporation ($3.5 million);
Abbot Point Coal terminal ($1.9 million);
Queensland Rail (Coal & Freight $7 billion);

Rail workers and the people of Queensland have been betrayed by Premier Anna Bligh who has made this decision with out any consultation. These assets belong to Queenslanders and future generations; she has no right to sell them off without their approval. Premier Bligh was not honest during the recent election campaign as there was nothing mentioned throughout the campaign about privatisation of government assets.

The sale of these assets is against ALP policy and will lead to massive railway job losses statewide which contradicts the theme of “Jobs, Jobs & Jobs” that the Labor Party regularly preaches as being their number one priority.

History has shown that privatisation of government assets are not in the best interest of the public:

Sale of Vic Rail led to higher costs to the public with the private operator still collecting a yearly payment from the state government;
Sale of the Commonwealth Bank has led to record profits lost to the public coupled with record fees imposed on the public;
Sale of Telstra led to loss of profits to the public and a reduction in service standards.

Unions have commenced a campaign against the proposed privatisation of government assets and will fight this issue to the last minute and look forward to the ongoing support of the community. This issue has the potential to bring the Bligh government down and they have no one else to blame other than themselves.

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