THE entire electricity network will be “flogged off” and regional areas will be left with less jobs and higher power bills, a long-time National Party stalwart has claimed.
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Mark Rodda, who is also a Tamworth councillor, claimed it was “inevitable” the state government’s planned 49 per cent lease of poles and wires was the first step in a complete sell-off of the network.
It comes after NSW Premier Mike Baird refused to rule out a full privatisation of the electricity network if the government wins the next election, simply saying “that’s a matter for the next parliament”.
Despite government promises some of the proceeds of the long-term lease would be ploughed into regional areas, Mr Rodda said it was little more than political blood money.
“There are over 200 jobs at risk in Tamworth,” Mr Rodda said.
“Yes, we’ll get some short-term money, but once those jobs are gone, they’re gone.
“The families of those local workers go to local schools and they spend their money locally.”
So disgusted was he with the government’s privatisation plans, Mr Rodda has walked away as a member of The Nationals.
He said the Victorian power privatisation experience had resulted in wholesale job losses and surging power prices.
A ReachTEL poll in June revealed 70.4 per cent of the 900 residents surveyed in Tamworth opposed a sell-off.
As a result of the regional backlash, the government agreed to quarantine the regional electricity arm, Essential Energy, from the sale and contribute 30 per cent of the poles and wires proceeds to regional NSW.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, who staunchly opposed the sale of Essential, rejected Mr Rodda’s claim that full privatisation was a fait accompli.
“I held very serious concerns about service levels being maintained (if Essential was sold) and that’s why I stood against it,” Mr Marshall said.
“For Essential to be sold by this government or any other, new legislation would have to get through parliament.”
But one of Mr Marshall’s rivals in the March election, Labor candidate Debra O’Brien, said full privatisation was clearly on the government’s agenda.
“The ... government is no longer even pretending it will quarantine a portion of the electricity network,” she said.
“Far from ruling out 100 per cent privatisation, the Premier is openly admitting it is on the agenda for the next term.”