LNP ministers can’t be believed on asset sales proceeds: Pitt

Media Release

Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the inability of the LNP’s two most senior Ministers to agree on the expected proceeds of their asset sales program show any infrastructure promises can’t be believed.

“Campbell Newman wants to bribe Queenslanders: let them sell off our assets, or you won’t get any infrastructure,” Mr Pitt said.

“But when the Deputy Premier and the Treasurer can’t agree on the how much money they’ll have to spend, how can they be believed?"

“No doubt the Deputy Premier’s thought bubble about ‘additional’ net proceeds only occurred to him after the Opposition revealed that the LNP had already promised over $9 billion worth for projects, despite saying they only had $8.6 billion to spend."

“This is a Government that’s making it up as they go along. They’ve announced major changes this week that will see the entire electricity network flogged off, and they have no idea how much money they’ll receive."

“The Treasurer’s also admitted that he can’t guarantee the asset sales will lead to lower power prices, and he refuses to reveal the great big new tax he’ll need to impose on Queenslanders to plug the revenue hole his asset sales will create."

“The LNP’s asset sales will simply lead to higher electricity prices, more job losses and less revenue to invest in our health and education systems."

“No-one can trust any promise made by Campbell Newman. He’s broken too many over the last two and a half years to ever be believed again.”

Mr Pitt said Mr Seeney’s comments also revealed a deep misunderstanding of the Government’s own sale process.

“Mr Seeney said yesterday his sale of the electricity network is like leasing a house, in that you can maintain control of it and you can get it back*. What a joke.

“The only reason the private sector will buy these assets is so they can control them, and they can have them forever. We’re talking 99 year leases, which the Treasurer has said is the same as giving away the farm."

“Either Mr Seeney has no understanding of his Government’s asset sales or it’s yet another ‘tactical lie’ from someone who’s renowned for them.”

Brisbane Times, 19/9/14:

Jeff Seeney:

A simple lease arrangement that everyone is familiar with. You lease your house to somebody else, you maintain control of it, you get it back in the end. And that is the sort of simple model that we are currently evaluating."