ETU: Bligh's secret hard-hat tour will not fool Queenslanders

ETU's campaign against privatisation of State Govt assets - update

How can it be about chatting with locals,
if the locals don't know where you are going to be?

Premier Anna Bligh's secret hard-hat tour, aimed at convincing Queenslanders of the need to sell profitable government assets, is the oldest trick in the book and will not fool Queenslanders into changing their strong opposition to the proposed sale of public assets, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) said today.

The ETU also called on the Premier to release the full itinerary for the tour so Queenslanders can get to meet her in an informal way and not just through carefully planned stunts.

ETU secretary, Peter Simpson, said the fact that no itinerary for the four days has been released proves it is just a political stunt and another attempt to hoodwink Queenslanders.

"It is reminiscent of the early election called this year, during which no mention was made of the plan to sell a number of profitable public assets, including large sections of Queensland Rail. In fact, the secrecy surrounding the itinerary is similar to an election campaign and means the trip has little credibility as a genuine meet-the-people exercise.

"The Premier says 'I am looking forward to getting out there and chatting with locals', well why not give 'locals' plenty of notice so they can get along to wherever she will be? What is the State Government scared of?

"The government is also seriously mistaken if it thinks people will be fooled by a simplistic either/or message about the sale of assets and infrastructure spending. The people of Queensland are strongly opposed to the sale of these assets. They believe it is an unnecessary, simplistic plan being driven by credit ratings companies like Moody's.

"Research of voting intentions in five State electorates, conducted in July by UMR Research for the ETU, shows an average nine per cent swing against the Bligh Government with the decision to sell a number of State Government corporations the main reason for the swing. UMR Research has done a lot of research for the ALP itself.

"The $18 billion infrastructure spending is a great initiative. However, we do not need to sell profitable government assets to fund it. Saying that we do is akin to selling your house, but keeping the land, and then using the money from the sale to put in a bigger driveway," Mr Simpson said.

The ETU anti-privatisation campaign is being run, in conjunction with the Queensland Council of Unions, until, at least, the next State election to stop State Government plans to sell a number of State Government entities, including profitable sections of Queensland Rail and our massive State forests, which contribute to national and international sustainable logging practices.

Also published on Save Our Public Assets. See also: Bligh defends asset sales, works program by David Barbeler in the Brisbane Times of 24 Aug 09, Anna Bligh to tour state projects in defence of asset sales by Steven Wardill in the Courier Mail of 25 Aug 09, Bligh begins whirlwind tour to justify asset sales by Chris O'Brien on the ABC on 25 Aug 09.