Electrical Trades Union NSW secretary Steve Butler criticised the Government’s failure to undertake a competitive market tender process which would have seen buyers bidding against each other, instead negotiating with only one buyer.
“The O’Farrell Government has failed the simplest test to get the best value for money for NSW taxpayers from this asset sale,” Mr Butler said.
“Treasurer Mike Baird chose to only hold talks with a single buyer for this asset rather than test the market and open the sale to a competitive tender which is likely to have delivered a better deal for taxpayers.
“In March this year the O’Farrell Government spent $200 million on upgrading the Eraring Power Station only to sell it today for $50 million, it doesn’t make sense.
“This is nothing more than a fire sale that does not represent value for the people of NSW.”
Mr Butler said that the deal was a disgrace and that the sale should be aborted.
“Here we have the Treasurer effectively handing a valuable asset over to the private sector without any transparency,” Mr Butler said.
“Just weeks after the NSW National Party State Conference voted unanimously to oppose the privatisation of the NSW electricity network, the NSW Treasurer has performed a fire sale of a major electricity generation asset.
“The Government should not be selling any assets, let alone an essential service such as electricity generator, but if they do sell off an asset like this they have a responsibility to guarantee that NSW taxpayers are getting the best deal possible.
“Not only has the NSW Government sold this asset for well under its value, they will also forego future years of profits and dividends that have helped to fund other public services like our hospitals, schools and transport.
“The NSW Government has failed and that is why I believe this deal should be aborted all together or at the very least put out to market tender to ensure the best possible sale price is achieved.”
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