Costa - the Rasputin of NSW - 28 August 2008

As Costa and Iemma’s hopes for power privatisation withered on the vine today, Greens MP Ian Cohen called on the major parties to shift focus from the doomed fire sale to the politics of electricity and climate change.

“The NSW Greens are extremely disappointed that so much time and so many resources have been squandered in the failed bid to sell the state’s generators and retailers,” said Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen.

“Recalling the Parliament and then shutting down debate indicates that the Government has lost all sense of leadership. The focus of the Government should have been on transforming the electricity industry to a low emissions future.

“Instead they sent their foot soldiers of ‘tough love democracy’ to ride rough shod over their own party and the will of the people of NSW who consistently polled overwhelmingly against privatisation.

“Now that the privatisation storm is clearing, I’m hoping we can shift the debate back to energy efficiency, renewables and real action on climate change.

“The Commonwealth Bank was privatised many years ago and all we have seen ever since is price gouging and profiteering. We were headed for the same result with the electricity generators.

“In his maiden speech in 2001, Michael Costa said that he hoped to be judged at the end of his time in the Parliament as ‘having contributed to prosperity, opportunity and fairness.’

“His privatisation bid has failed and he has squandered opportunities for the state’s energy sector to adapt to climate change. All of this whilst ignoring his own Party’s policy platform on the issue.

“Michael Costa is going to have to privatise the state’s historians if he wants to ensure that he’s recorded as the flag bearer for ‘prosperity, opportunity and fairness’. The reality is that he walked out on the debate today, unable to stick it out. This is not the action of a responsible treasurer.

“Costa dominates the Premier like Rasputin dominated Tsar Nicholas. Let’s hope we can get rid of Costa more easily than his Russian precursor,” said Mr Cohen.