Land & Property Information bulletin – February 2016

Land & Property Information bulletin – February 2016 (PDF version)

A strategic review of Land and Property Information was undertaken in 2012/13 by JPMorgan and Mallisons. The report was submitted to the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet.

The purpose of the strategic review was to determine:

• what the functions of LPI are and which functions could be considered for privatisation

• the best most effective and efficient ways to privatise LPI or part of LPI

• whether privatisation was viable on a cost benefit ratio.

In October last year, the PSA made an application under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 to obtain the strategic review of LPI. The PSA’s purpose in accessing the review was to use the information in developing a strategy to demonstrate that there is no viable business case for the privatisation of LPI. The PSA also wanted to compare the data collected in the 2013 strategic review with the new 2016 DFSI Scoping study.

In December 2015 the PSA was advised by the DFSI that it was denying access to the requested documentation on the basis that there was: “a conclusive overriding public interest against the release of that information, because the information falls within the definition of cabinet information”.

For the prevailing reasons of transparency and accountability of government, the PSA states that it is in the public and PSA members’ interests to release the outcomes and written conclusions of the Strategic Review 2013. This is especially the case where those documents are being used by government as the basis for its decision to sell-off our public assets for profit.

The PSA intends to appeal the GIPA Decision.

Rally

Members should be aware that a lunch time rally at both Parramatta and Bathurst sites is planned for 24 February 2016 for PSA members to:

• show we are opposed to any outsourcing model for LPI

• show we are opposed to bringing in any private operator who will be driven by a profit over service delivery model

• build a broader public opposition to Baird’s privatisation model and a broader public awareness of the fact that privatising LPI will financially burden the citizens of NSW

• demonstrate to NSW citizens the importance of maintaining all functions of LPI within the Public Service

• put pressure on Government MPs to break ranks with Mike Baird and back away from the Government’s grossly inequitable reform program

• send a message that we will stand to protect our job security and protect the knowledge and resources the staff provide to LPI.

LPI should remain wholly in public hands and the PSA will continue to build a strong, vocal and visible campaign which opposes its privatisation.