Impromptu Speech Given on the 14th November 2009.
Privatisation of Public Services in NSW and impacts on Western Sydney.
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Electrification and expansion of railways, water distribution and supply, electric power distribution and supply, highways and roads. All these things have been provided thanks to the dedication and skill of the NSW Public Service. Without the Public Service these types of things would still be dreams or they would have been built by private interests and would now be costing EVERYONE more than we can possibly imagine.
Providing these infrastructures have also led to the training of 1000s of apprentices over the years. Clyde Railway workshops were once abuzz with activity and drew employees from around this area in western Sydney. Now employment hubs like Clyde have been downsized and the notion of providing skilled employment in this area has gone with it.
Parramatta once upon a time boasted significant numbers of employees from the Public Works in depots and offices located throughout the western suburbs. Now these too have become victim of “rationalisation”, “downsizing” or “re-engineering”.
Of course we have former and present governments to thank for commencing the domino effect of privatisation at all costs in NSW, especially former Premier Nick Greiner and his zealous Liberal Party.
In western Sydney employment services have been affected by this rationalisation. Public Transport has also been affected – Sydney Buses have a partnership with Westbus – this “partnership” is one focused on costs NOT focused on providing services to people in isolated areas. Privatising public services does not work because it focuses on costs not service. A bus route will be canned if deemed to be “unprofitable”…..one solution might be to use smaller buses.
Right now we have an opportunity to consider Free Public Transport, this is only possible because it is not yet privately owned. If the Liberal Party were to win the next election they will privatise public transport and when that happens there’s no turning back.
Free Public Transport makes it possible to service otherwise un-serviced areas because it focuses on providing that service. Of course Free Public Transport also impacts on many other sectors like Health, Business and Tourism for example.
Consider this, if we lose our Public Service anything that is not deemed to be profitable will not be done. For Profit businesses rarely do things for the love of it, they do it for profit and this has implications for all of us, not just western Sydney.