TAMWORTH mayor Col Murray has met with senior representatives of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) to discuss the impact the privatisation of the electricity network would have on the community.
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In yesterday’s meeting, the union asked the council to consider approaching Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson and Premier Barry O’Farrell for a commitment to retain public ownership and operation of the state’s network.
Union secretary Steve Butler also asked Cr Murray to consider putting forward a motion of support to tell NSW Parliament the council and community did not support a sell-off of Essential Energy and TransGrid.
“A total of 223 people in the Tamworth area are directly employed by publicly-owned electricity network companies, so any plans by the O’Farrell government to privatise this essential service will have devastating effects for the local area,” Mr Butler said.
Mr Butler said every 13 jobs lost would equate to a loss of $1 million from the local economy.
He said a poll of 200 people in the region conducted earlier this year found 91 per cent believed the electricity network should remain government-owned.
While the government has or is selling most of its power stations, Mr O’Farrell earlier this year denied the government planned to sell the “poles and wires”.
Cr Murray could not be reached for comment.