Nicholls Contradicts Newman On Asset Sales

Media Release.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says the LNP government needs to get its story straight on the future of publicly owned power industry assets.

“Newspaper reports today have Treasurer Tim Nicholls indicating his support for selling the state’s power generators which directly contradicts statements by the Premier,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Mr Nicholls wants a public debate on power assets sales, while the Premier has been saying there will be no sale or privatisation.

“Queenslanders need to know who is speaking for the government on this issue is it the Premier or the Treasurer?”

Ms Palaszczuk said just this week the Premier said: "I believe the electricity assets that we own as a state of Queensland should be owned by the people. I don't support privatisation, nor do I support deregulation..."

(Cairns Post 16 January 2013)

In addition late last year Mr Newman said: "My vision for the electricity sector is that we have a government-owned, world's best practice, efficient operation owned by the people of Queensland. That is what I would like to see."

(The Australian 9 November 2012)

“But in today’s Australian Financial Review Mr Nicholls is very clear about his position supporting power asset sales,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“He calls for a public debate on asset sales and also says ‘government ownership [of power assets] did not always provide the best result for consumers’.

“These are clear statements supporting privatisation of the state’s power industry assets which is why Mr Newman needs to declare his government’s position,” Ms Palaszczuk said.