Protesters power march

Louisa Rust

A small group of Shellharbour residents took their opposition to the NSW Government’s electricity privatisation plans to member for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon’s Dapto office last Wednesday.

The protesters were met by Ms McMahon, outside her office, in what turned out to be a vocal question-and-answer session.

The protest was organised to voice opposition to the government’s plan to lease out the state’s power stations to private operators.

The government also intends to sell off all power utilities except for poles and wires.

Ms McMahon has publicly backed the proposal.

The government’s proposal is expected to save the state $15 billion – the projected cost to the government to ensure the electricity supply over the next 10-15 years.

The protest was attended by members of the South Coast Labour Council, People Power Illawarra, union members and workers from the electricity industry.

South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris voiced serious concerns about the plan.

“The plan will cost jobs, take a financial toll on the people of NSW and be bad for the environment,” Mr Rorris said.

“The local member seems to be advancing a position against what the Labor party stands for.

“Why do we need to sell off the existing power supply?

“It’s bad news for consumers and it’s bad news for the environment.”

Mr Rorris said big businesses wanted residents to consume more electricity, not less.

Mr Rorris also stated that “the most worrying thing” from his perspective was that Ms McMahon refused to answer whether she would still support the privatisation plan if it were opposed at the ALP state conference, as she believed it was “speculation”.

Ms McMahon said the sell off would not lead to price rises for consumers, as the industry would be monitored by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

“We already have a privately operated power station here (Tallawarra) in the state seat of Shellharbour,” she said.

“That power station was built with the support of the community.

“If it’s happening here in the seat of Shellharbour, why can’t it happen everywhere else?”

Ms McMahon said there was another issue to consider as well.

“Where is the $15 billion (for the government to continue electricity supply) going to come from?” she asked.

“What services are we going to have to not provide?”