PSA bulletin – Proposal to privatise Land and Property Information
On 18 September 2015, the Minister for Finance, Services and Property announced reforms to separate the regulatory and operational functions of Land and Property Information (LPI). This will be completed by February 2016.
The announcement also advised that:
- a scoping study would conducted over the next 6 months. The study would be tasked to investigate future options for LPI including possible private investment, and that the costs of providing LPI infrastructure by the public service may be better served by the private sector
- the scoping study would report to Cabinet by 20 March
- all data would remain “onshore”
- the Government will not privatise certain functions of LPI such as emergency information coordination, property addressing system, geographical name survey, control group, i.e. areas that need to remain to keep “value” of LPI
- Valuation Services will “move away” from LPI
- LPI regulations will remain a function of the NSW Government
- the announcement will not affect the LPI’s restructure plan and it is business as usual for the next 6 months
- staff with concerns are encouraged to email the department via the website.
PSA industrial and organising staff attended a members’ meeting at Queen’s Square on 30 September. Members raised their willingness to take some form of industrial action to stop the Government’s privatisation plans. Ideas for action would firstly be canvassed via a members’ survey and could include:
- work bans
- stop work meeting
- lunchtime rallies outside Parliament
- a broad-based advertising campaign opposing privatisation and educate the community on the functions of LPI, its significance and why it needs to stay in public hands
- a community petition
- media opportunities, citing the 2013 LPI Review which made it clear that the wholesale privatisation of LPI – its operations and regulatory functions – is a bad idea financially and practically.
The PSA will also draft a template letter outlining the reasons why MPs should oppose the privatisation of LPI. The PSA will distribute this letter to members who can then send it to their local MPs.
In the regions particularly, we intend to put pressure on local members of Parliament who are acutely aware of the potential impacts on job security.
