Greens Bill threatens to derail Iemma's power sell-off

Parliament debated the Energy Services Corporations Ownership (Parliamentary Powers) Bill 2008 after it was successfully brought forward for urgent consideration today without opposition. The government was forced to rely on the casting vote of the president to shut down the debate.
 
Dr Kaye said: "The Iemma government is staring down the barrel of a landmark conflict within the Labor Party.
 
"During the debate, Labor MPs Linda Voltz and Ian West indicated they would support the bill.
 
"It is a measure of the profound importance of the issue that they have put themselves on the record. They clearly have the backing of their party's membership.
 
"The Iemma government is on notice that they face substantial parliamentary opposition to the sell-off.
 
"The Bill has been adjourned until early June. This gives Premier Iemma one last chance to pull back from the brink and avoid a significant conflict within his own party.
 
"Treasurer Costa has repeatedly boasted that the government can privatise without the approval of the Parliament.
 
"We urge the Iemma government to listen to the arguments and abandon their privatisation push before it divides even further their party and destroys their credibility," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
 
The Energy Services Corporations Ownership (Parliamentary Powers) Bill 2008 was introduced by Greens NSW MP John Kaye. If passed into law it would ensure that changes in ownership or control of energy services corporations cannot proceed without the agreement of both houses of the NSW parliament. This would prohibit the sale of the retailers or the lease of the generators without parliamentary approval.