Analysis of the reporting of electricity privatisation initiatives in New South Wales brings disturbing confirmation that the major Australian newsmedia does not accurately report essential facts on issues of vital concern to us. Indeed, it often acts as a conduit for propaganda against our best interest.
As a result of reporting rules NSW voters voting at local government elections on 14 September won't know until February next year which corporate donors are bankrolling which candidates.
After an expensive recall of Parliament to debate privatisation bills which NSW Treasurer Costa claimed to be "the most important pieces of economic reform contemplated in this State in a generation," debate was cut short after less than 3 hours. The perseverative Costa came back however with lesser plans to privatise the retail arm of NSW's electricity assets without scrutiny by the NSW Parliament.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has seized upon a limited and deficient Auditor-General's report (pdf, 354K) as grounds to proceed with electricity privatisation and plans to rush through the legislation next week.
However, the sale has been consistently and overwhelmingly opposed by the NSW public and unions, and can be stopped.
In spite of overwhelming opposition to the privatisation NSW Premier Morris Iemma engages in disruptive and and costly political stunt to 'position' NSW power assets for sell-off.
When Barrie Unsworth complained on Sydney's local ABC radio of the New South Wales Labor Party's efforts to ensure that state Labor parliamentarians vote against the privatisation of NSW's electricity assets - a policy already rejected resoundingly by the electorate in 1999 and currently opposed by 79% of the NSW public - his interviewer Toni Matthews expresssed her total agreement with the former NSW Premier: "Why - It seems obvious to me - Why isn't it obvious to these younger members that you're talking about that they're creating mayhem within the party?"
As a result of reporting rules NSW voters voting at local government elections on 14 September won't know until February next year which corporate donors are bankrolling which candidates.
After an expensive recall of Parliament to debate privatisation bills which NSW Treasurer Costa claimed to be "the most important pieces of economic reform contemplated in this State in a generation," debate was cut short after less than 3 hours. The perseverative Costa came back however with lesser plans to privatise the retail arm of NSW's electricity assets without scrutiny by the NSW Parliament.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has seized upon a limited and deficient Auditor-General's 
When Barrie Unsworth complained on Sydney's local ABC radio of the New South Wales Labor Party's efforts to ensure that state Labor parliamentarians vote against the privatisation of NSW's electricity assets - a policy already rejected resoundingly by the electorate in 1999 and currently opposed by 79% of the NSW public - his interviewer 
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