Comments on: Caucus torn, conference resolute, Iemma, er, powerless

By: Rudy Cramer

Rudy Cramer — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Im starting to wonder what the State Government is actually there for. The M7 the M2 the M5, all built with supposed ‘private’ money. I thought thats what State Governments are supposed to do with the money they get, provide infrastructure.
And here is the State Government paying a company millions, so it can delay road narrowing works until after an election. And the sad thing is that it was public knowledge, and yet, they still got voted in. Creating extra roads on our choked highways, then narrowing others to funnel people into paying. All this privatisation, with the added administrative costs of a CEO checking the share values (every minute on the web), to calculate his impensing fat bonus. Not to mention other positions, with fat slaries attached, for their rugby private school mates. And now, we come to trying to privatise power. The state NEEDS the money. What else have we to sell when these corrupt pigs urinate the proceeds against the wall. Hitler, where are you?????

By: bruce knobloch

bruce knobloch — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Yes, Alex, quite extraordinary the hypocrisy of all the media, ABC and SMH included, not only dismissing the rare and open democratic process of the ALP conference (which is perhaps more a result of good luck with timing (conference was due) than anything else), they absolutely refuse to mention the word mandate, or should I say the lack of it coming out of last March’s election. Paul Gibson was good on this in the conference debate. Rudd was smart enough to keep out of it on Sunday, but certain realities are hitting home with Kevin07 types finding out he wants privatisation to happen. And what about Patricia Forsythe from the Chamber of Commerce claiming she represents the majority of the people of NSW! What allies big money brings together! The class dimensions of this - and hence the particularly violent tension inside the ALP - have received almost no comment, other than the derision that the democratic union (& branches) position shows Labor hasn’t “modernised”

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The most accurate description I heard of the Costa- Iemma proposal is “cash grab” including big business barrackers. You can almost see the latter salivating on radio over the profit centres (generators, retailers) and side stepping the cost centres (wires and poles). Surely it must give pause to the ALP in toto that all the pro Howard Work Choices crowd are backing Iemma on this one? Kennett, Hewson, Big Business. As for John Brown on sydney abc 702 ex ALP federal minister, a story on stateline where he allegedly steered a disabled taxis business entrepeneur into the arms of Macquarie Bank came to mind. Carr singing for Mac Bank too. Keating will be weaving his sophistry in the Herald tomorrow. As was said back in 1997 this is spiv Labor (Tripodi/Roozendaal are right in there) versus traditional Labor. Well it seems to me when toil and trouble of dangerous climate change moves in on society it’s traditional Labor that I will be trusting and respecting, not the other one.

By: Sponge Boy

Sponge Boy — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I was at Conference (as a State Electorate Council delegate), and Alex Mitchell has got it just about right.

Reba Meagher, for all her faults, gave a resonant backs-to-the-wall speech and does not lack for guts. She retained respect for the manner of her speech alone, though comparisons with Maggie Thatcher are probably not exactly what she had in mind at the time.

Della Bosca and Watkins retained their credibility - Della’s speech was actually his audition as Premier in Waiting. Kristian Keneally was puerile, addressing her speech at the level of 12 year olds.

Michael Costa, on the evidence of his Saturday rant, is now certifiably insane. He is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Morris - your mentor told you “whatever it takes” - and what it takes here is to get rid of Costa. There will be no solution with him around.

So Alex - tell Crikey readers about Eric Roozendaal and the duck!

By: Richard McGuire

Richard McGuire — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Could not agree more with Alex re the shallow analysis by the commentariat. I saw this displayed on the ABC Insiders programme on Sunday. It was all about Iemma and his governmemt v union power. Where were questions such as, who would invest in coal fired power stations, unless like Andrew Bolt you believe global warming stopped in 1998? Where is the Liberal opposition in this fray? Having been burnt once on this issue, might their reticence have something to do with public opinion? Why is that every time Governments are strapped for cash, public assets go under the hammer? What is wrong with governments going into debt to invest in infrastructure? What future public participation in the political process if political parties are going to ignore the wishes of their rank and file? Since the Qld Govt sold off the retail arms of Energex and Ergon, prices are up so are complaints to the energy ombudsman. Energy company reps now cruise the suburbs. Have they got a deal for you?

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It is amazing the hypocrisy being shown by elements of the media not just in NSW, but the Sun Herald also couldnt contain its enthusiastic support for Lemma. One of the Liberal Partys propaganda High Priests, Andrew Bolt leaped into the fray lambasting those nasty unionists for daring to do what they are supposed to. Have a democratic vote, the result binding. Thats what its all about. Of course it suits the Bolta to have an approach that suits the gospell according to Andrew. …..”Labor’s NSW state conference goes out of its way to confirm every scare campaign about troglodyte unions running Labor. Its members - half from the unions - has banned the Labor Government from privatising its power utilities:……of course many more than half the conference voted against the privatisation. I support Lemma in his proposal but I also respect the Labor State Conference right, to abide by its rules. Which they have done. If Lemma has the oomph to win the day good on him. Bolt may learn yet.