So much for Liberal-Nationals boasts concerning regional jobs growth in 2019

After Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison abandoned the Coalition's proposed National Energy Guarantee which would allegedly reduce polluting emissions and lower electricity retail costs, the energy sector remains in disarray.

One hundred and sixty-five jobs are at risk across regional News South Wales as Essential Energywhose operational footprint covers 95 percent of the state apparently considers downsizing employee numbers as a cost-cutting measure is the best way to gain the Morrison Government’s approval.

In all probability hoping that this move will appease Morrison and he will then decide to forget his promise to force all energy companies to lower their prices.

Sadly, this is just the sort of short-sighted approach to cost cutting which ‘The Liar From The Shire’ would approve.

Though how downsizing staff leads to better customer service under The Energy Charter I am at a loss to understand.

The Daily Examiner, 4 July 2019, p.1:

Methods used to determine who stays in a job at Essential Energy have been likened to the battle for survival in sci-fi film Hunger Games.

The Electrical Trade Union claims workers will be pitted against each other to save their own job and asserts that the company has told workers Grafton will be one of the hardest hit in a plan to slash 165 jobs across regional NSW.

The Daily Examiner was told of workers being asked to write letters to state why they should keep their job.

ETU secretary Justin Paige slammed the announcement of cuts, saying the use of forced redundancies along with a “Hunger Games” style competition between workers was causing unnecessary hardship.

“Workers have been given less than a week to respond to the plan, with the first staff to be made forcibly redundant as early as July 10, but we are examining every legal and industrial avenue available to stop them,” Mr Paige said.

“The worst part is many of these cuts will be undertaken through what management have called a ‘merit selection process’, which will essentially pit workers against each other to save their own job.

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis and Deputy Premier John Barilaro poured scorn on the proposed job losses…...

The Daily Examiner, 5 July 2019, p.3:

The ALP has accused Nationals MPs of hypocrisy over their response to Essential Energy sacking 182 employees.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said it was the height of hypocrisy for Nationals MPs like John Barilaro and Chris Gulaptis to claim they are fighting against Essential Energy’s regional job cuts.

Ms Saffin said the Nationals allowed Essential Energy to be corporatised so they could bleat all they like but lost their say in the matter when they agreed to the sell-off.

“The Nationals’ excuse was that a Restart fund would be set up from the proceeds of the sale and that regional and rural NSW would get 30 per cent of the proceeds annually,” Ms Saffin said. “They never even delivered and failed regional NSW. The Auditor General has showed year after year since 2011 that Restart has not met the Nationals’ 30 per cent target – it was 17 per cent last year.

“The Nationals lost three seats at the recent State election, which is why John Barilaro is now posturing that his hapless party is suddenly independent of the Liberals.”

Ms Saffin said she was saddened to hear of Essential Energy’s plan to sack more workers as it was a cruel blow to them and their families, and would make it harder on remaining workers maintaining or upgrading infrastructure.

“Essential Energy, which operates electricity poles and wires across 95 per cent of the state, has gutted more than 2000 jobs from their ranks since 2015,” Ms Saffin said.

“It is hard enough to get permanent roles in the regions and while jobs have grown in the city it has been slow here…..

The Daily Examiner, 8 July 2019, p.3:

Essential Energy has hit the pause button on its moves to cut 182 job across Northern NSW after a Fair Work Commission meeting which called for the company to provide further information to its workers.

On Friday power industry unions reached an in-principle agreement with Essential Energy in the Fair Work Commission that paused planned job cuts until additional consultation took place.

The agreement means no jobs will be lost before mid-August, with unions given an opportunity to propose alternative cost saving measures and initiatives that could avert the need for redundancies.

Essential Energy committed to distributing information to all employees by July 19 that includes: the justification for role reductions, the specific impacts of cuts on remaining team members, and details of the tasks or functions that will cease to be performed.

Essential Energy also committed to consider alternative savings measures before redundancy decisions.

Electrical Trades Union secretary Justin Page welcomed the outcome, saying it was vital workers could identify alternatives to regional job cuts.

“This is a tough time for Essential Energy workers, their families and colleagues,” Mr Page said.

“After four years of deep staffing cuts at Essential Energy – which has not only devastated those workers directly impacted, but has had profound impacts on service delivery and regional communities – today’s reprieve is extremely welcome, but is just the start…..

Not impressed by Liberal-Nationals plan to privatise NSW electricity networks across the NSW Northern Rivers

Letters to the Editor in The Daily Examiner on 23 March 2015: 

Whole truth 

On March 15, NSW Nationals Leader Troy Grant was quoted in the national media as stating of the Baird Government's electricity privatisation plan that: "Country poles and wires will remain 100 per cent in public hands".

On June 13, 2014, the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, was quoted in The Daily Examiner: "With Essential Energy exempt from the deal it will remain in public hands and retain control of the poles and lines".

Both politicians are not being as truthful as they could be.

Power to businesses and homes on the NSW North Coast does not just magically flow from Essential Energy.

What Grant and Gulaptis are not saying is that an estimated 12,700km of high voltage transmission lines and 94 substations which criss-cross the state are part of the state-owned Transgrid network and these will be offered for sale with a price tag in the billions for the 99-year lease. Transgrid's transmission lines supply electricity to "electricity distributors such as AusGrid, Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy" [www.transgrid.com.au, March 2015].

In other words, the main conveyer of power to regional electricity networks in the Clarence, Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed valleys will be effectively sold-off if National Party candidates standing in the Clarence, Lismore, Ballina and Tweed electorates succeed in winning these seats on March 28.

This will eventually translate into price increases for local business and residential users, because a privatised Transgrid will not absorb the future cost of infrastructure maintenance/replacement and will pass this cost through to Essential Energy in its contract rate [TransGrid's Transmission Prices July 1 2014 to June 30 2015].

Judith M. Melville

Yamba

People to pay

Regarding Brian Haselum's letter (March 18), I believe the proceeds from the privatisation of our electricity is to be spent on new infrastructure.

This will result in a shortfall of the State Government's income by around $1.7 billion per annum.

Whether it is electricity prices that go up or something else, it will be the people of NSW who will have pay for the Government's annual shortfall.

People should keep this in mind when they vote on the 28th.

Trevor West

South Grafton

NSW State Election 2015: former federal minister & current gas industry lobbyist accused of lying about privatisation

Martin Ferguson reinvented himself after leaving parliamentary politics and, became a group executive in natural resources at Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings, a non-executive director of the BG Group an international exploration and LNG production company and, chair of the advisory board at Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), a peak national body representing Australia’s oil and gas exploration and production industry.

This was Martin Ferguson in November 2014:

FORMER federal Labor energy minister Martin Ferguson has urged the party to support Premier Mike Baird’s electricity network privatisation push while also delivering a stinging rebuke to Opposition Leader John Robertson, who he said was stuck in the 1930s.

The comments came as Mr Ferguson compared the proposed long-term lease of 49 per cent of the electricity assets to raise $20 billion for much-needed infrastructure to the reforms of the Hawke and Keating governments in selling off Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank.

In a speech to be delivered at an Infrastructure Partnerships Australia lunch today, Mr Ferguson will call on Mr Robertson — an ardent opponent of the sale who he also compared to a 1930s Labor leader — to pass through the upper house the sale of the networks, should Mr Baird, as expected, win the election next March. [Martin Ferguson, Repowering NSW]

While this is Martin Ferguson today..........

Electrical Trades Union of Australia media release 24 March 2014:

Martin Ferguson caught on a lie with claim his position on privatisation is the same as during his political career.

Former Federal Energy Minister Martin Ferguson has been caught lying to The Australian, after reportedly claiming that the position he held on privatisation was the same as what he had argued for throughout his political career.

Far from being a consistent position, it is a complete backflip from the speech he delivered at the launch of his parliamentary campaign which savaged privatisation, claimed the sale of power companies led to higher prices, and warned that cheap and equal access to services was best delivered by publicly owned companies.

During Mr Ferguson's speech at the launch of his campaign for the Victorian seat of Batman, in October 1995, he told the room of supporters:

“We’ve seen what the privatisation policies of the Liberals have done in this state — the education system in Victoria is reeling from the changes; the sale of the electricity companies will mean higher prices for ordinary consumers…

“Jeff Kennett’s privatisation plans hurt the battlers. And John Howard’s privatisation plans will also hurt the battlers.

“I am convinced that Telstra must remain in public hands… If our regions are to grow and compete they must be able to rely on a publicly-owned telecommunications company who will provide them cheap and equal access to the information super-highway.”

The Electrical Trades Union said Martin Ferguson had no credibility left and was simply parroting the messages of the major corporations he is now paid to represent.

“This was an Energy Minister who — between 2007 and 2013 — presided over the worst period of electricity price rises in Australian history,” ETU national secretary Allen Hicks said.

“According to the Federal Government’s own Australian Energy Regulator, national power prices increased by around 50 to 60 per cent from 2009 — under Mr Ferguson’s watch.

“Here we have one of the worst energy ministers this country has ever seen, blatantly contradicting the position he advocated to get in to parliament, all on behalf of corporate giants in the energy sector that stand to gain out of his new-found passion for privatisation.

“He has performed a backflip on this issue worthy of an Olympic gymnast.

“With Mr Ferguson’s record of failure, he simply has no credibility left when it comes to electricity privatisation or energy prices.”

A copy of Martin Ferguson’s 1995 speech can be found at: http://www.actu.org.au/actu-media/speeches-and-opinion/martin-fergusons-speech-at-launch-of-campaign-for-batman

Abbott Government releases its 2014 Energy Green Paper - prepare to be underwhelmed

The Abbott Government released its Energy Green Paper on 23 September 2014.

The document sketchily mentions renewable energy or forms of renewable energy a total of 134 times within its 92 pages, while mentioning conventional gas/unconventional gas a total of 434 times, coal 100 times and exports 131 times.

Readers who care about Australia's sustainable energy future move onto the body this paper at their own risk.......

Australian Government Energy Green Paper September 2014

NSW State Emergency Service under the ICAC microscope

For many years I have heard female volunteer State Emergency Service workers complain about the blokey administrative culture of this vital agency.

Less often I have heard allegations about behaviour which came close to being unethical at best and at worst something else entirely.

Now The North West Star on 8 November 2013 reveals that these types of complaints may have some basis in fact:

NSW State Emergency Service Commissioner Murray Kear will come under the microscope at an ICAC inquiry next month.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption announced on Thursday that it would hold an inquiry from December 3, as part of an investigation into the sacking of former SES deputy commissioner Tara McCarthy.

The inquiry will probe whether Mr Kear dismissed Ms McCarthy in May in reprisal, after she alleged her colleague SES Deputy Commissioner Steven Pearce had acted corruptly.

It is expected to run for up to two weeks. The inquiry will also examine allegations that Mr Kear failed to appropriately investigate Ms McCarthy’s claims regarding Mr Pearce.

Mr Kear is also alleged to have made false statements or attempted to mislead an officer of the commission.

ICAC Assistant Commissioner Theresa Hamilton will preside over the inquiry, while Michael Fordham, SC, and Callan O’Neill will act as counsel assisting....

Skinner: Now I'm Health Minister It's Not A Dumb Idea

The Northern Star asked a hard question which resulted in more than a petticoat showing on 11^th December:

“STATE Health Minister Jillian Skinner has been forced to defend a cost-cutting proposal to allow single-crew ambulance cars to transport patients to hospital during her visit to the Northern Rivers today.

The new proposal will allow single-crew ambulance cars currently in use to transport willing and able patients.

Ms Skinner said such cars were staffed by senior paramedics and often first on scene, but currently unable to transport any patients, even those with light injuries.

She stressed that the move would enable a more efficient use of resources without compromising patient care….

Mr Hayes also labelled the proposal as a backflip by Ms Skinner, since in 2010 she called a similar proposal by then Labor Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt as "one of the dumbest"…. “

Payback is a b!tch

Federal Liberal Party MP Malcolm Turnbull in The Sydney Morning Herald on 11 August 2012 busily contradicting the electricity pricing position of the man who ousted him as Leader of the Opposition:

"Over the last five years or so in the east coast capital cities, electricity prices have gone up by about 50 per cent. This is pre the carbon tax. That has been largely a function of the investment in distribution and transmission, in poles and wires,"…..

Because they are borrowing with the benefit in effect of a government guarantee, they have got a real incentive to invest and indeed to overinvest. This is what's called gold-plating,"…

In many cases they are spending billions of dollars, so it is argued, to reduce the chance of a brownout from very, very little to very, very, very little,"…..

Janelle Saffin and Gillard Government deliver! $4 million for a community health centre in Yamba

THE HON WAYNE SWAN MP

Deputy Prime Minister

Treasurer

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP

Minister for Health

THE HON JANELLE SAFFIN MP

Member for Page

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, May 4, 2012

$4 million for a community health centre in Yamba

The 2012-13 Budget will deliver a vital new health facility in Yamba.

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today announced that $4.3 million will be provided to build a new community health centre in the town.

“The Gillard Government is delighted to be directing funding toward a facility which will provide important health services to local families,” said Ms Plibersek.

“These capital works will be a major boost for the local economy while they are being carried out, and will provide health care services to thousands of residents of Yamba, Iluka, Maclean and other areas of the Lower Clarence once they are completed.”

Member for Page Janelle Saffin said existing service gaps, particularly in relation to oral health and mental health, will be addressed as part of the project.

“Access to quality health care, which will meet the increasing demand for services and attract doctors and nurses to our region, is the number one priority for residents in Yamba,” said Ms Saffin.

“The funding will go toward new outpatient clinics and facilities for local GP services, mental health and dental services.”

“I would like to pay special tribute to Yamba-based health campaigner, Jim Agnew OAM, who has been lobbying for this facility for many years.”

Funding for the community health centre was made available from the Gillard Government’s Health and Hospital Fund (HHF.)

The application was assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board.

This centre is one of a large number of projects being funded by the HHF in the 2012-13 Budget to help regional health service networks manage the expected increase in demand for services over the coming years.

Funding for the hospitals will be made available from the Gillard Government’s Health and Hospital Fund (HHF.)

The application was assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board.

This development is one of a large number of projects being funded by the HHF in the 2012-13 Budget to help regional health service networks manage the expected increase in demand for services over the coming years.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said: “As a Labor Government, we will always manage the economy in the interests of working people, and that means delivering a surplus while making room for critical investments in health infrastructure like the one here in Yamba.”

For all media inquiries, please contact Simon Crittle (Plibersek) on 0466 773 531 or Peter Ellem (Saffin) on 0437 303 875

STATEMENT BY JANELLE SAFFIN MP ON CLOSURE OF BONALBO HOSPITAL 24/7 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT & NURSING SERVICE

Statement by Janelle Saffin MP on Bonalbo Hospital

I express my dismay at the actions of the Northern New South Wales Local Health District’s administration in closing the 24/7 nursing operation at Bonalbo Hospital, and call upon the Board to immediately reinstate it.

I was at Bonalbo Hospital on Saturday with the nurses and I promised them that in addition to my earlier letter to the Chief Executive Chris Crawford and the Board, that I would make a public call for the immediate reinstatement for the 24/7 nursing operation.

I realise it is a matter of state administration, but I take a very strong interest in health, securing much needed Federal funds locally, so I cannot stay silent when a community is left abandoned, as is the case in Coraki as well.

I question what is going on with our local health services?  

I was at the public meeting in Bonalbo last year, discussing how to handle the departure of the local GP.

With the permanent GP gone, it is important to keep as many of the health services as possible, and give the community a sense of security regarding their health.

This also allows them to keep faith in the health service, while attempts to attract another GP or two GPs to the Bonalbo township and district are continuing.

When the decision was taken to cease the 24/7 nurses’ shifts in Bonalbo, without consultation about how things would work with the 11.00 pm to 7.00 am shift axed, I let Mr Crawford know that I was appalled.

I said in my letter to him, that: “There is fear now in our small communities, both Bonalbo and Coraki, that you and the Board are set on closing their hospitals and neither community believes you when you say that you will restore their health services.”

I have now told the nurses, the SOS Action Committee and locals to go to the Board, as they are our community representatives.

 

The current interim Bonalbo model of operation, with doctors brought in from neighbouring towns, has been lauded by health representatives, including Board members, as a good model for  the residents of Coraki and district, who have not only lost their hospital due to the disrepair of the facility, but have been left without alternative services.

I am waiting to hear the announcement that some emergency services will be reinstated there while a health services plan is done.

.

There have been so many calls for the immediate reinstatement of the 24/7 service from concerned community members and key representative organisations.  These include Kyogle Shire Council, the NSW Nurses Association, the local NSW Nurses Association members, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ representatives and all Bonalbo and district residents.

 

The NSW Nurses Association has said that: “People usually only call on health services during the night when things are serious, so it is important that this community has sufficient capacity to respond during the night.”

The local nurses, through the NSW Nurses Association, have asked a list of some 29 questions which raise serious issues that need to be addressed immediately, including that of nurses’ security.

The list includes critical questions such as:

• Who will carry the hospital and drug cupboard keys and how would they be passed from one nurse to the next; for example, to get keys from evening shift nurse to morning shift nurse where the morning nurse will usually be a different nurse?
• Once the nursing night shifts cease, where does the Local Health District plan to keep the key for the alternative helipad if a helicopter evacuation was required through the night as the usual helipad has been flooded four times in the past 10 years? Is the Health District aware that it takes an average of four hours to mobilize helicopter retrieval?  

It is bad enough to axe the 24/7 nursing operations, but to then not manage the process is negligent.

 

Kyogle Shire Council, in its letter to Mr Crawford, has stated categorically that: “The decision to cease the provision of Emergency Services at Bonalbo Hospital between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am will result in unacceptable risk to the health and well being of our community and is completely at odds with previous guarantees provided to the Bonalbo community at public meetings that there would be no reduction to health services.”

It is clearly up to the Board members to ensure that there are no reduction to health services and I am asking them to continue this service of 24/7 coverage with nurses.

Contact: Janelle Saffin 0418 664 001.   

The novel O'Farrell approach to the solar bonus scheme leaves this blogger cold

So the O'Farrell Government wants to abandon the principles of contractual law in relation to the Solar Bonus Scheme and introduce retrospective legislation to make its clawback superficially legal – all on the basis that it drastically needs to rein in the state's budget outlays due to massive black holes.

However, all is not as Premier O'Farrell would have us believe.
Besides ignoring the fact that the Solar Bonus Scheme take-up rate indicates that NSW was well on its way to meeting its obligations in relation to a particular national climate change target, it is closing-off the scheme in preference to making the energy industry adequately pay for renewable energy they receive from this source and, are misrepresenting the state of the economy to achieve its aims.

Firstly, NSW Government finances and the lies told.

Analysis and Advice on the Details of the "Report on Variance between Mid Year(December 2010) and March 2011 Update" prepared for the NSW Premier and Treasurer by the acting Secretary to the NSW Treasury, Michael Lambert, and Analysis and Advice on Claims in the Associated Media Release of 27 April 2011,"Black Hole Blows Out Further" by the NSW Premier, The Hon Barry O'Farrell states:

Moreover, the size of the accumulated budget deficit from 2010‐11 to 2014‐15, $4,384 million, even if it were to eventuate, would not itself imperil the state's finances or its AAA credit rating. That accumulated deficit estimate is less than 75 basis points of the revenues and expenses for the five years. And the government should be aware that, even if it took no remedial action, further parameter changes which will inevitably arise in the coming months and years will as likely improve the budget outlook as weaken it. Moreover, the general government's current net debt and unfunded superannuation level is about $8 billion below the level which might lead to a review of the AAA credit rating and there are few sub‐sovereign entities outside of Australia which enjoy a AAA credit rating……
A claim is also made that the "failure to take the additional budget impact of the Solar Bonus Scheme into account could only have occurred if Treasury advice on the scheme's impact was not sought or simply ignored". This is a speculative conclusion and the alternatives offered are not the only feasible options……
During the preparation of this briefing, the Energy Minister, the Hon Chris Hartcher, announced that the Solar Bonus Scheme had been placed on hold pending legislation to close the Scheme to new applicants……
The media release offers other claims of "gross economic incompetence". Insofar as fiscal policy is concerned, the state's AAA status does not support this claim. A fear that the budget deficit "could grow even further" is merely an assertion made without evidence. A claim that "Labor had 'cooked the books' to distort the true state of NSW's finances" is not supported either by the report issued by Mr Lambert or by this Office's examination of available data.

Secondly, the NSW Coalition's history of supporting a residential solar power scheme.

This is Google's cache of http://www.barryofarrell.com.au/protect-our-local-environment/the-nsw-liberals-nationals-will-introduce-a-renewable-energy-buy-back-scheme.html. It is a snapshot of the page as it appeared on 10 May 2011 04:35:50 GMT. This page no longer appears directly on the O'Farrell website.The following clearly shows that the NSW Liberal Party and O'Farrell supported a solar bonus scheme.

Effective action on environmental issues requires sensible policies that deliver practical and real improvements.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals will introduce market mechanisms that will encourage people to use renewable energy.

We will introduce a renewable energy buy-back scheme – sometimes known as a feed-in tariff.

The scheme will:

be a credit or payment to households, institutions or businesses for the renewable power they produce. This will include small-scale solar power from household rooftops; and

encourage households to make decisions that save energy bills over the medium term.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals policy for a gross feed-in tariff was first announced in October 2008. The Labor Government mimicked the policy when it adopted a Solar Bonus Scheme in November 2009 for small solar photovoltaic installations.

Despite this, the government has excluded many renewable and innovative energy sources, as well as involvement from many commercial energy users who are best positioned to take up decentralised generation.

It is estimated that if 5,000 households take advantage of the scheme, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is the equivalent of taking 16,250 cars off the road.

Decentralised generation can reduce demand for costly generation and transmission infrastructure, and can reduce the peak price of electricity.

The NSW Liberal & Nationals policy will ensure that NSW leads Australia in establishing a decentralised energy sector, by honouring the State Government's current commitments and improving the scheme to make it more effective. A comprehensive scheme could cut NSW's emissions by around 1 per cent per annum.

Thirdly, IPART's position on the existing Solar Bonus Scheme and electricity retailers.

From the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Electricity Draft Report April 2011:

The current gross rate of 20 c/kWh is lower than the price that some customers are paying for electricity....
The Solar Bonus Scheme is currently structured so that retailers receive a financial benefit. This is because although they earn revenue from customers for gross consumption, they pay the market operator, AEMO, on a net consumption basis (that is after netting off energy supplied by the solar panels). The NSW Government’s proposed Solar Summit aims to identify opportunities for reducing the costs of the Solar Bonus Scheme. One option for achieving this aim is for Government to require retailers to transfer some of the financial benefit they receive under the scheme to distributors (who pay the feed in tariff to the customer).
This would reduce the amount of funds required to be recovered from customers, or foregone by taxpayers, to pay for the scheme.
We note that the other gross feed in tariff scheme in Australia, the ACT Scheme, requires retailers to contribute 6c/kWh towards the cost of the scheme.
We recommend that the NSW Government, as part of its Solar Summit, consider requiring retailers to contribute to the cost of the gross feed in tariff, whether or not it terminates the current scheme......

Finally, this.

This is Google's cache of http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/policies/cost-of-living/plan-for-an-affordable-and-sustainable-energy-industry.html. It is a snapshot of the page as it appeared on 16 May 2011 02:01:02 GMT. In which O'Farrell seems to admit that he intends not only dipping into the pockets of residential suppliers of renewable energy and but into state funds as well.

"We will also ensure that households do not have to pay for Labor's failed solar scheme by redirecting uncommitted funds from the NSW Climate Change Fund to cover the cost of the Labor's failed NSW Solar Bonus Scheme," Mr O'Farrell said.

NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into Electricity Transactions begins today

Special Commission of Inquiry Electricity Transactions

The Honourable Brian Tamberlin QC has been appointed as Special Commissioner to inquire into and report on all matters relating to the electricity transactions (occurring both
before and after entering into those transactions), including:

1. Compliance with applicable laws, policies and practices;
2. The circumstances surrounding the resignation and appointment of directors of Eraring Energy and Delta Electricity in December 2010;
3. The value for money achieved for the State compared to the retention value of the assets to the State; and
4. The costs and benefits to the State of the electricity transactions, including potential risks and liabilities and the extent to which the transactions can deliver the stated objectives for entering into them; and
5. Any other related matters.

Further, the Commissioner is to inquire into and report on options for future action that could be undertaken to further the public interest in a competitive NSW electricity sector, including options to:

6. Address any issues identified in relation to the electricity transactions; and
7. Promote competitive electricity prices and ensure reliability of supply.

"Electricity transactions" refers to:

A. The sale of the State-owned electricity retailers (EnergyAustralia, Integral Energy and Country Energy) by the NSW Government in 2010/11;
B. The sale of the electricity trading rights of the State-owned generators (Eraring Energy and Delta West) by the NSW Government in 2010/11;
C. The Cobbora coal mine development;
D. The sale of the development sites suitable for power generation by the NSW Government, including at Marulan and Mt Piper in 2010/11; and
E. The proposed sale of the electricity trading rights of State-owned generators (Macquarie Generation and Delta Coastal) that was not completed by the NSW Government.

The Commissioner is due to provide an initial report on or before 31 August 2011 and a final report on or before 31 October 2011.

In order to ensure that all relevant information is obtained, the Commissioner has been given the special powers under sections 22, 23 and 24 of the Special Commissions of Inquiry Act 1983 (NSW).

An initial public sitting of the Inquiry will take place at 10.00 am on 23 May 2011 in Court 8A, Level 8, John Maddison Tower, 86-90 Goulburn Street, Sydney.

On that occasion, the process to be followed by the Commission will be outlined, including the means by which the Commission will inform itself in relation to the terms of reference.

Submissions to the Inquiry should be in writing and lodged with the Inquiry by 4 pm 17 June 2011.

Submissions must comply with the Directions for Written Submissions which can be obtained by contacting Brad James, Executive Officer of the Inquiry at email address msciet@agd.nsw.gov.au

.
Individuals or organisations who believe they are substantially and directly interested in any subject matter of the Inquiry are invited to contact Clare Miller, Solicitor to the Inquiry, in writing at the address below in order to inform the Inquiry of their interest, and the extent of assistance which they can provide to the Inquiry.

Any person who has information and material which is relevant to the Inquiry is invited to provide it directly to Brad James, Executive Officer, at the address specified below.

Any person wishing to contact the Inquiry may do so at the address below.
Special Commission of Inquiry
Electricity Transactions
PO Box A1150 SYDNEY SOUTH 1235
Phone: 9377 5502
E-mail: sciet@agd.nsw.gov.au

Australian Emergency Call Centres in 2011

This is the ideal.......

The Triple Zero (000) Emergency Call Service is an operator-assisted service that connects you to the relevant emergency service organisation (police, fire or ambulance). Telstra is currently responsible for answering calls to the emergency service numbers Triple Zero (000) and 112, and transferring them, with relevant associated information, to the requested emergency service organisation.
You should only call Triple Zero (000) when a situation is threatening to life or property, or time-critical. If a situation is not urgent but does need the attention of an emergency service organisation, you should obtain the number of your local police, fire or ambulance service from the phone book or by calling directory assistance. ...........
If, at any time and for whatever reason, it is not technically possible for Telstra to transfer a Caller No Response Call to the IVR, it must instead forward it directly to the Police as if it were a genuine request for emergency police assistance. [Australian Communications and Media Authority, 4 June 2002 & 5 April 2011]

This is the reality for many.......

The Queensland flood inquiry has heard a triple-0 operator chastised a mother and her son, shortly before they were swept to their deaths.Two emergency calls made by Donna and Jordan Rice were played to the inquiry as their family wept quietly in the courtroom. [ABC Lateline, 19 April 2011]

Police Association vice-president Scott Weber said police were providing a "bare minimum" coverage of response to triple-0 calls. [The Telegraph 17 March 2010]

This is an emergency, an emergency," he could be heard shouting down the phone line. "I'm lost, I haven't had water for a long period of time. I'm about to faint."
In all, six calls David made to emergency services that day went dead due to what could have been his increasingly fragile health as well as poor reception.
In his final harrowing call, played on the first day of an inquest into his death, David begs the operator, "Can you send a helicopter?" before he is interrupted by her and placed on hold. [The Sydney Morning Herald 15 April 2009]

At 12.56am, early Saturday morning, I rang triple 000 to call an ambulance for a recently discharged surgical patient who was rapidly going into shock with severe internal bleeding.
The phone rang … and continued to ring. It took nearly three minutes get to speak to an ambulance call centre operator.....Then the nightmare began. [Crikey 24 May 2009]

In the dark of February 5, the 27-year-old ran to the telephone connection - it had been deliberately turned off. She reconnected it, dialled the emergency number and it diverted to Cairns police, a thousand kilometres away. She revealed how she had just been raped and that the alleged perpetrator was still outside her building with several of his drunken mates. He'd also stolen a bottle of vodka and she feared he would be back. The police officer said he would immediately ring the community police officer on the island, but reported back to the victim that the local representative of the law had responded it was raining and he was not prepared to walk around to the crime scene in the rain, even though he was told the alleged perpetrator was still on the premises. [The Australian 10 March 2008]

In January 2001, Peter Taber and Ian Styman bound and gagged Joy Alchin, when they broke into her home near Nowra.
They took her money and left.
Styman called Triple-O and asked for police to be sent to the house, but the call was not responded to and Mrs Alchin died nine days later. [ABC News 26 April 2007]

One of two sisters stabbed to death in their Melbourne home early last Saturday called tripl-0 for help as she was dying. But Telstra says the emergency call lasted five seconds before it was terminated, amid reports the woman's throat had been cut, making it impossible for her to speak. Telstra's triple-O service received a call from a mobile phone belonging to one of the sisters about 1:44am on Saturday, more then 19 hours before the bodies were of Colleen Irwin, 23, and Laura Irwin, 21, were found in their Altona North home. Telstra spokesman Andrew Maiden said an operator answered the call but there was no voice or background noise and the call was terminated, at the caller's end, after five seconds. [Geelong Advertiser 4 February 2006]

The Ombudsman is inquiring into complaints that police failed to respond to desperate triple-O calls from the children of a man who was being assaulted.[ABC Stateline 11 March 2005]

Says it all really

Stick 'em up! Your money or your health

Faarrck! When will this daylight robbery end?

“Our draft decision indicates that average regulated electricity prices will increase by around 18.1% for Country Energy customers, 17.9% for EnergyAustralia customers and 16.4% for Integral Energy customers (Table 1.1). These increases come on top of rises of around 7% to 13% in 2010.”

Maud Up The Street tells me that her winter electricity bill will rise by over $32 before she even turns her heater on during very cold evenings. Maud wonders how her old bones are going to manage and predicts an increase in aches and pains because she won‘t be able to keep her home warm enough.

IPART Draft Report and Draft Determination covering average price increases in standard supply areas.

Keneally fiddles why New South Wales burns. Does O'Farrell intend to throw petrol on the fames?

While the Keneally Government has forced New South Wales to bend over and present to the powerful private energy industry sector with its under the table sell-off of the state’s electricity assets, this is how far we are behind in our undertakings regarding reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation between 14 to 24 January 2011.

Surely not even Premier Kristina Keneally can think that the private sector will seriously address this problem and, at less cost to the consumer?

As for Barry O’Farrell – he’ll probably continue with the sell-off once in office and then consider buying shares in Macquarie Generation, Delta, Eraring, AGL, Origin or Tru Energy.

Last week:

• Total emissions grew by 4.1% or 78,000 tonnes, due largely to an increase in emissions from coal-fired generation.
• Emissions from coal-fired generation, which accounted for 90% of electricity generation, grew by 6.4% or 70,000.
• Emissions from gas grew by 5.7% or 9,000 tonnes.
• Emissions from petroleum fell by 0.1% or 1,000 tonnes.
• Electricity demand grew by 3.6%.
• NSW imported 7.8% of its electricity demand to other states, compared to 7.7% the previous week.

Last year:

• This week’s indicator is 1.0% higher than the same week in 2010
• Total emissions to this stage of 2011 were 1.6% lower than the similar stage last year

Baselines:

• 1990: 22% above
• 2000: 4.2% above

Lack of public facilities such as transport in rural and regional Oz

Last year the local community of ***** (name removed) buried young ****** (name removed).


***** hanged himself out of despair. Centrelink hounded him.

In order to pacify Centrelink ***** drove everywhere to find work, often in an unregistered vehicle as he had not the means to pay for registration.

Individuals like ***** end up driving, often without a licence, and more often in unregistered vehicles. The seeds of criminality begin this way, from despair.

Truth is, this is not an isolated incident.

Over to you Mr Rudd et al.

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