Will this get voted down today?
Votes: 4
by James 8:36am, 27 February 2008
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The SMH quotes the following MPs protestng againsty the privatisation yesterday: Gibson, Grant McBride, Alan Ashton, David Borger, Robert Coombs, Sonya Hornery, Kerry Hickey, Paul Pearce, Matthew Morris, Mick Veitch, Ian West, Helen Westwood, Penny Sharpe, Peter Primrose and Linda Voltz.
The greens are putting a private members bll in the upper house (today I think?) from memory the opposition and cross benches have the numbers in the upper house. With 15 Lower House MPs voting against I think the Government would lose. What are the consequences of this and is it likely to happen?
Could you give your views please Greg and others. Would this make the position of the Government untenable? Will these MPs have the backbone to cross the floor?
Relates to website: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mps-revolt-against-sale/2008/02/26/1203788346562.html
maxwell
Feb 27, 2008 08:52am
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I think the problem is that if they abstain it might not get up. Would be interested to hear Greg's views.
Greg Piper
Member for Lake Macquarie
Feb 27, 2008 01:03pm
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I haven't spoken to John Kaye of the Greens since he drafted his Private Members Bill but I have seen it (it's sitting in front of me now). The effective purpose of his bill is to require the approval of both houses before an energy services corp can be sold, leased or otherwise disposed of. It doesn't set out to stop the sale per se but does try to correct the process. Libs have supported the bill being given priority which I understand means that it will be debated within 5 parliamentary days.
I understand that the Liberals are considering bringing it to the Lower House. The Government has a slim minority in the Upper House relying on the Christian Democrats and Shooters Party for support. There are a good number of Labor MHRs who oppose the privatisation so there is in theory an ability for it to get up there - it would take a much bigger effort to get Labor members to cross the floor in the Lower House though I have to give credit to those Labor members who have spoken out so far.
Greg Piper
Member for Lake Macquarie
Feb 27, 2008 03:57pm
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Update - I understand that rather than debate the private members bill and risk someone crossing the floor the Treasurer today agreed in the House to allow the matter to be debated in the parliament.
The Greens seem satisfied with that but I have not had this confirmed.
NFlyer
May 04, 2008 05:08pm
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Greg, wether a person supports this issue or not, doesn't this amount to stealing someone's property, and then selling it?
Greg Piper
Member for Lake Macquarie
May 21, 2008 10:53pm
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Hi ..... and sorry for being offline for so long! What Ii would say to this is that regardless of whether a person supports or opposes the privatisation, we should all be very afraid of what we have seen. The process was deceptive and has been prosecuted ruthlessly. What's next?
ScottyG
May 22, 2008 10:49pm
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What's next, I guess the treasurer better revist the figures of the proceeds of the venture, because as of 7th May, he informed the Legislative Council "I have never seen a proposal from the Government to privatise Eraring" and "we are not privatising Eraring.".
Its my bet that he is just playing with words and splitting a very,very fine hair.