In a speech on June 2, Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, said she would sell Queensland Motorways Limited, The Port of Brisbane, Forest Plantations Queensland, Queensland Rail's above and below rail coal business and the Abbott Point Coal Terminal.
It was also revealed that options for the sale of QR's bulk freight, intermodal, retail and regional freight services would be investigated.
“The announcement came as a complete shock. No one in the union was expecting it. All of us – members, delegates and officials - are opposed to the Premier’s plans to privatise key assets including roads, rail and ports, said Andrew Dettmer, AMWU Queensland State Secretary.
“This plan will yield a small dividiend to the Queensland Treasury in the short-term but at the long-term expense of Queensland communities.”
The AMWU has always had a strong anti-privatisation policy and voted against the plan at the recent ALP State Conference.
“What we’re in now is a financial downturn, but it will turn around,” Mr Dettmer explained.
“These assets will take years to sell and by the time they do, there’s every chance that things will be on the mend financially and the Queensland budget will be back in surplus.
“The sell-off is a response to the loss of Queensland’s AAA credit rating. The credit ratings are provided by the very same ratings agencies that are responsible in part for the Global Financial Crisis.
“Do we really want to place ourselves and our children’s and grandchildren’s futures in hock to please some Wall Street stockbrokers?
“Does the Government really want to forfeit its rights to intervene in the welfare of Queensland communities by renouncing ownership of substantial money-earners?”
Mr Dettmer said that if private owners were allowed to take control of state-wide assets, they would quickly close any unprofitable branches, costing jobs for ordinary Queenslanders.
“What we’ll then see is regional centres experiencing higher unemployment rates, lower property values and a spread of the social problems that come with that,” he explained.
“Time and time again, we’ve seen Governments in other states and countries regret their decision to privatise state assets with numerous cases of buy backs after private contractors failed to fulfill their obligations.”
The AMWU is part of the Queensland Council of Unions campaign against privatisation.