Unions claim partial power victory
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'Huge victory': Unions NSW secretary John Robertson. (AAP: Sergio Dionisio, file photo)
The head of Unions New South Wales is now claiming a partial victory in the fight over electricity privatisation, with the Government abandoning its plan to sell the state's power generators.
John Robertson yesterday said the Premier, Morris Iemma, had signed his political death warrant by pushing ahead with a revised electricity privatisation plan that involves the sale of electricity retailers, but not power generators.
Mr Robertson's tone has now changed significantly.
"What we saw yesterday was a huge victory for the community and the workers in the electricity industry in NSW," he said.
But he says the new plan, which still involves the sale of the retailers, is not a better option.
"Many of these workers are women in rural NSW and the Government needs to answer on what is going to happen to those jobs," he said.
Morris Iemma says the unions should be happy with the alternative package because it is something they put forward during negotiations.
"This is an option that they brought to us last year and continued to bring to us in the early part of this year," he said.
Mr Iemma says the same job, pricing and consumer protections provided for in the legislation will remain, including three year job guarantees and the option of remaining with the network business.
"[We are] still leaving there those protections for workers that are in the retail area," he said.
He says the new plan for the energy sector does not contravene Labor Party policy.
"In May, there was a move to change the platform and there was strong legal advice that the motion moved to change the platform was not valid," he said.
"Now if the party office and party officers are going to test this alternative against the platform I would welcome that."
But Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell has told Parliament the Premier continually lied during his attempts to privatise the electricity sector.
"That is why Morris Iemma can't be believed on anything he says on power because on each and every one of those occasions he has misled the public,' he said.
"He has - in the words of the Minister for Health yesterday - lied, lied, lied and lied again, and Mr Speaker he is continuing now to do so."
The Treasurer, Michael Costa, today confirmed he will not be standing at the next election.
