NSW: Coalition government would not sell electricity assets

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NSW: Coalition government would not sell electricity assets

By Jonathon Moran

SYDNEY, April 5 AAP - A NSW coalition government would not sell state-owned electricityassets, Opposition Leader John Brogden said today.

He said the initiative demonstrated the coalition's fresh approach to managing state-ownedinfrastructure.

"While electricity assets will stay in public hands, a coalition government will ensurethey are managed better and smarter," Mr Brogden said.

"We want to partner with the private sector to get the best from our strategic public assets."

NSW Treasurer Michael Egan today said he would continue with the sale of the state-ownedPacific Power International (PPI), an engineering consultancy that is a subsidiary ofPacific Power.

This was despite suggestions the move affected the privatisation of a state electricity asset.

Last month, Premier Bob Carr said PPI did not generate or distribute electricity andwas not part of the grid - assets he vowed never to sell.

"Pacific Power (International) will be sold if the employees want to go to the privatesector," Mr Egan told reporters today.

"Pacific Power (International) has the potential to become a major engineering consultancyaround the world provided it has private sector capital behind it."

Mr Egan said a power station had not been built in NSW since 1993 and taxpayers didnot want to foot the bill for the electricity industry to build them overseas.

"Taxpayers do not pay their taxes for building power stations in Queensland, or Vietnam,Malaysia or China," he said.

"That is a risk the private sector must take."

Meanwhile, Mr Brogden said the new coalition policy would include setting up an electricityinfrastructure audit to pinpoint problems and future investment requirements.

"Much of our electricity infrastructure in NSW is in desperate need of upgrading andmaintenance," he said.

"This audit will canvass a number of issues, including the need for capital works,strategies for upgrading power lines and systems and the need for greater use of alternativeenergy sources."

Opposition energy spokesman Duncan Gay said the coalition would focus on stabilityand competitiveness.

"There are over 10,000 people employed by the state-owned electricity companies andthese people need certainty about the future ownership of the industry," he said.

AAP jwm/nf/las/sb

KEYWORD: ENERGY