Wednesday 21 September, 2016
The Public Service Association (PSA) is hosting a mock “auction” of public services outside Parliament on Wednesday 21 September to highlight the Baird Government’s secret privatisation agenda.
The rally – which will include an auctioneer and speakers from Land and Property lnformation, Sport and Recreation and Disability Services – will run between 12:30pm and 1:30pm.
The PSA will be demanding Parliament debate its 25,000 signature petition against the sell off of disability services that has been ignored by Government in order to keep its sale plans under wraps.
The Baird Government is selling off areas including Land and Property Information, Trustee and Guardian services, TAFEs, Sport and Recreation Centres, transport, prisons, public housing, disability care, and child protection services to unaccountable private interests.
The union has launched a campaign titled “The Secret Sell Off” that involves radio and billboard advertising to alert the community to what is being lost, the billions of dollars in public funds being handed over to private for profit companies and the secrecy of the transactions.
“This Government has earmarked virtually the entire NSW public sector for privatisation but the transactions are being conducted in secret without a business case outlining the benefits to the community,” said PSA Assistant General Secretary, Steve Turner.
“Sound and proper scrutiny of process is critical but with the funding of the ICAC slashed, the Government has written its own get out of gaol free card.”
“TAFE is being decimated as the Government continues to blindly hand over countless millions to cheap private operators, some of whom are being investigated for fraud.”
“Similarly, the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC) which is being totally privatised leaving no Government safety net for those with high-end needs.”
Of particular concern to the PSA is the lack of accountability of the funds given to and the level of services provided by these private companies.
The NSW Auditor-General’s report on Family and Community Services (FACS) states that $2.5 billion is paid to the non-government sector (NGOs) to deliver services usually handled by the Department with no direct accountability to Government for the management of this funding.
Unlike other states, the NSW Auditor General does not have legislative powers to “follow the money”, something the PSA is pushing to change.
“A central element of our Stop the Secret Sell Off campaign is a petition which calls for the protection our public services from privatisation along with the introduction of laws for financial scrutiny and accountability of all privatised services,” said Steve Turner.
“I invite the community to support our fight and sign our petition”.
For more information visit: http://stopthesecretselloff.com.au/