CRUCIAL crossbencher Fred Nile’s parliamentary inquiry into Premier Mike Baird’s “poles and wires” sale will report on June 2 — in time for legislation to go ahead so the sale can be factored into the June 23 state budget. 
 
And the witness list looks like an opportunity to embarrass Labor’s opposition to the sale, ­expected to raise $20 billion for ­infrastructure, with those to be called before the inquiry including former federal Labor minister Martin Ferguson and former state Labor treasurers Michael Egan and Michael Costa — all of whom have supported the sale.

Mr Egan has publicly said the state Labor opposition should ­accept the March 28 election ­verdict and support the sale.

Mr Nile has indicated that he and his Christian Democrat ­colleague Paul Green will pass the government’s sale through the Legislative Council, on condition the parliamentary inquiry is held first and establishes, as Mr Nile ­believes it will, that the sale makes sense.

Hearings will begin on May 15 over three days. Another major witness will be Mr Baird, with the Electrical Trades Union given 90 minutes to put its case opposing the sale, sources said.

The top three executives of merchant bank UBS will also be called to address the controversy around Mr Baird’s office contacting the bank during the election campaign to ask it to reconsider a report stating the sale was good for the state but bad for the budget.

The report was amended after Mr Baird’s office said the rogue analysts’ report had failed to factor in the positive effect on the economy would flow through to the budget.

Mr Baird went to the election with a policy to lease 49 per cent of the electricity networks to raise $20 billion for infrastructure.

The government plans to move ahead first with the lease of 100 per cent of Transgrid through a trade sale, with legislation being drafted. Later, it plans to lease 50.4 per cent of Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy.

Mr Baird has promised to use proceeds to build a second harbour rail tunnel, extensions to the West Connex Motorway, and upgrades to schools, hospitals and arts ­facilities around the state.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/witness-list-to-embarrass-poles-and-wi...

Privatisation is just the artificially created opportunity to give self and mates a nice little earner on the side by raising costs of a public utility.  What are these stellar Labor witnesses being paid for this?

How many nice little board positions will each be getting in the new 'owners' of poles and wires who will instantly raise costs for 'upgrades and repairs' despite the fact that for the past 3-4 years the lie has been sold that rises in power costs are due to 'infrastructure' needs and upgrading of the same network?

These people must think we are both blind and stupid, and too cowed down to stand up and tell the truth.

Eurotrash again..... they are more of an embarrassment to themselves... or would be if they were capable of shame....

Karnal wrote on Apr 27^th, 2015 at 8:59pm:


A free bottle of wine, perhaps?

Seems like the point is to embarrass Labor and not to run an enquiry to find the facts.

Looks like they want to talk to anyone that they know will agree with them, another meaningless enquiry with a predetermined outcome.

What a surprise the Smelly running a story to support what the Liberals want and a bigger surprise AP re-posting it here.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Apr 28^th, 2015 at 5:15am:


He does play with his old fella a lot though!   

Dnarever wrote on Apr 28^th, 2015 at 6:38am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Apr 28^th, 2015 at 8:11am:


reminds me to take mine.