Power sell-off: Not done deal

The State Government and unions are at loggerheads over the role of a new committee that will examine plans to privatise the state's electricity industry.

The committee will be headed by former NSW premier Barry Unsworth and include Matt Thistlewaite from Unions NSW, executive director of UnitingCare NSW/ACT Reverend Harry Herbert, Jeff Angel from the Total Environment Centre, director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Robyn Kruk and coordinator general of NSW David Richmond.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma says the Government has made its decision on privatisation and will not back down.

But Matt Thistlewaite, from Unions NSW, says the group will assess the merits of the plan.

"We have a different view to the Premier," he said.

"The committee will be assessing the impacts and if those impacts are not in the interests of the people of NSW, we would expect the Government to listen to the outcomes of this committee and pull the plug on electricity privatisation because it is not in the interest of the people of this state."