Mike Baird is a disaster for NSW. This #NSWvotes, you have a chance to boot Baird and send a clear message to the LNP — State and Federal — that their policies stink and are un-Australian. Australia and NSW are not for sale!
Just as arrogant as Abbott, even a massive swing and loss of seats will NOT stop Baird’s privatisation agenda.
Be careful who you vote for this #NSWvotes — even a one seat lower house majority will see Baird privatise everything and the kitchen sink.
Boot Baird to save our State from LNP vandalism.
Privatisation
Right across the spectrum of NSW society, Baird’s privatisation agenda will destroy the delivery of important services we currently enjoy as our right as citizens and taxpayers.
As Treasurer, Baird was responsible for the aggressive fire sale of valuable NSW assets flogged off to the private sector. Baird has privatised the Sydney desalination plant ($2.3 billion), Port Botany and Port Wollongong ($5 billion) the Port of Newcastle ($1.75 billion) and Macquarie Generation ($1.5 billion).
All of these public assets contributed to NSW Government’s general revenue, and now, they make profits for private industry. Is it any wonder NSW can’t afford to build schools, hospitals, public transport and the other services society needs in order to function and care for its citizens?
NSW should boot Baird for his privatisation agenda.
Ageing, Home Care and Disability Services
Baird plans to privatise the Ageing, Home Care and Disability Services sector. Baird will sell off these currently government run services to private companies — companies driven purely by profit and bereft of any social or community agenda.
Not only would it appear that not-for-profit operators will be excluded, but, the front runners to gain from these government contracts are private overseas companies with shocking track records in financial management and service delivery.
Serco, one of the possible buyers is saved from bankruptcy in its own country thanks to government contracts from Abbott and now possibly Baird. In fact, if it wasn’t for Serco running the detention centres, it would probably already be declared bankrupt. This is an appalling state of affairs.
Other countries experience in privatising this sector is appalling.
Serco itself has a rocky history, at best, in delivering these kinds of services. Across the UK, local councils and government departments are taking back contracts from the likes of Serco and G4S, after rorting and expensive blowouts proved the norm, rather than the exception. Why on earth would we hand over support for our most vulnerable citizens to companies with a track record like that? Sydney Morning Herald
We all know people who are carers, aged, disabled. Are you a carer yourself? Or, maybe you’re disabled? Are you, or someone you know, reliant on home visits to help stay out of institutional care?
Put it this way, if you aren’t disabled now — through accident or illness, one day you could be. We all grow old so there’s a good chance that one day, you’ll be elderly — and living in your own home may rely on home care visits.
The care of our elderly and disabled is one area where Government’s should be responsible for the delivery of these services. Any government who abrogates the delivery of vital aged, disability and home care services deserves to be turfed. These services need to remain in Government hands. The elderly and disabled should be saved from exploitation by ruthless and profit driven foreign companies.
It’s time to boot Baird and save our ageing, disability and home care sector from privatisation.
Electricity privatisation
Nobody believes electricity privatisation, or “asset recycling” as Abbott and Hockey have now rebadged it — will lead to cheaper electricity prices for households. The experience in other states shows that electricity gets more expensive once privatisation occurs.
And, why did Baird refuse to front the Senate enquiry into electricity privatisation?
The Chinese Government is the front runner to buy the privatised electricity assets. If the Chinese Government thinks NSW electricity is a good buy, why on earth is Baird trying to sell it?
It’s time to boot Baird before he sells our electricity assets to a foreign country’s government!
Health and hospital privatisation
Baird plans on privatising Royal North Shore hospital. Again, a NSW public asset is being put in private hands. This time, a major Sydney hospital will be partly privatised.
Have you ever parked in a public hospital? The charges from their now privately operated car parks is exhorbitant. Imagine what would happen to charges when the hospital itself is privatised. It makes no sense to privatise a service that is required by us in ill-health.
Boot Baird for privatising health and hospitals.
ServiceFirst – jobs and your data flogged cheaply to India
O’Farrell as Premier flogged thousands of public service jobs to private industry, and Baird as Treasurer threw thousands of public servants and their families onto the dole queue. The new strategy of Baird as Premier is to transfer public sector salaries to Abbott’s rorted and broken social security system.
Upwards of 240 NSW jobs will be sent over to India. However, Baird claims a decision has not been made and an announcement will occur in April 2015 after #NSWvotes. 7500 public servants data will be shipped to India and the experience in other states shows not only increased cost, but concerns about governance of the data.
The 300 jobs in line to be lost in Service First are just the tip of the iceberg in the plans of this Government and the big businesses lining up to outsource and offshore work. Anne Gardiner General Secretary – Public Service Association of NSW
What stinks even more about the Service First privatisation is that these dedicated public servants have just won an Australian national award for service excellence. Why would Baird privatise Service First when it is clearly a market leader and already provides great value and service to the public locally.
The privatisation of Service First sending NSW jobs and sensitive private data to India is another reason for #NSWvotes to boot Baird.
Privatisation isn’t the only reason to boot Baird
Environment
“Do we want coal seam gas? Absolutely we do,” Mr Baird said. “Do we want coal seam gas in balance with ensuring there’s not damage to our water aquifers? That’s absolutely where we stand.” Baird – 2015.11.08
Re-elect Baird and watch CSG in NSW explode. As if Baird’s CSG plans aren’t bad enough, Baird has said he will not intervene in the plans for the massive Shenhua coal mine on the Liverpool plains.
There is massive public opposition to the Shenhua mine, from farmers and locals. There are estimates that the Liverpool Plains area produces 20% of the States agricultural produce — a whopping $2.4 billion. Why stick a dirty great big coal mine in the middle of it?
Other people have dedicated their time and energies to educate the public on the threats of CSG and the Shenhua Mine on the Liverpool Plains. You can read more on #CSG and mining on the Liverpool Plains:
- Stop Pilliga Coal Seam Gas
- Lock the Gate Alliance.
- Caroona Coal Action Group and SOS Liverpool Plains.
#CSG production and coal mining in prime food producing farm land is bad and stupid. It’s another reason to boot Baird.
ICAC — and LNP corruption
NSW voters should consider what ICAC has found about LNP Government Ministers and politicians and boot Baird.
There are so many articles on ICAC finding LNP Government members corrupt that it beggars belief that the Baird Government is seeking a second term.
Here’s another article on ICAC exposing NSW LNP corrupt practices. Want more? Ok. Here’s another.
The LNP in Government in NSW can’t be trusted. It’s all about deals for mates, its all about illegal donations — ICAC shows its time to boot Baird.
Real estate deals — favours to LNP donor mates?
Barangaroo
Baird has already seen prime, and scarce, CBD land flogged off to LNP donor mates like James Packer for his Barangaroo Casino. Packer’s Barangaroo Casino was approved in record time, and there are fears of it being infiltrated by Chinese Triads and crime gangs.
If you haven’t seen the Four Corners program “High rollers — high risk?” you should check it out. It’s a frightening look at the possible future of Sydney’s exposure to Chinese crime syndicates.
Baird as Treasurer was responsible for facilitating the Barangaroo project with minimal due diligence.
Exposing Sydneysiders and Australians to Chinese crime syndicates is another reason to boot Baird.
Powerhouse Museum — Ultimo
Now, the iconic Powerhouse Museum is being moved to the Western Suburbs and its land will be sold to developers. No doubt, this deal, like others, will see LNP donors gain a prime parcel of land, which will be maximised for profit by the developers.
Boot Baird for selling off prime land to greedy developers.
TAFE cuts
Abbott is busy trying to destroy Australian Universities by introducing an American style system. Degrees will cost as much as a mortgage and take forever for students to pay off — saddling them with a future #DebtSentence.
While Abbott is now trying to destroy Universities — Baird has already made great inroads in the destruction of NSW TAFE.
Baird has previously cut $800mil to TAFE funding. There have been a loss of 1000 jobs in NSW TAFE. Fees were massively increased by Baird as Treasurer and there’s no guarantee the savaging of TAFE won’t continue if Baird is given a second term.
TAFE is important to the disadvantaged as a way of gaining a quality education. It provides an alternative to University for many. Why don’t our kids deserve the opportunity to study at TAFE to further their skills and employability?
Between Abbott and Baird’s destruction of tertiary education, the dumbing down of Australia is well under way. Like Abbott in Universities, Baird has done everything within his power to savage NSW TAFE.
Boot Baird for his parlous record of killing NSW TAFE by starving it of much needed funds.
And the final reason to boot Baird?
If all of that isn’t enough to convince you to boot Baird — there’s one other reason to boot Baird.
Send a message to Abbott
You may have noticed a subtle change in Abbott’s rhetoric since the last #LibSpill.
The only thing Abbott cares about is his own job. His desire to stay in power despite trying to destroy Australian society with policies that the community reject is paramount.
He’s quietened down on all the policies which have lead to the drop in his poll popularity.
Don’t be fooled! Boot Baird.
Abbott’s tricky and cunning.
Make no mistake, Abbott intends to continue to try and destroy Medicare, saddle Uni students with a #DebtSentence, plunder the ABC/SBS budget, destroy pensions and bash the poor any way he can.
Abbott’s declared WorkChoices as “dead, buried, cremated” — what rubbish! Abbott is still intent on reviewing working conditions — to strip workers of pay and conditions. He’s tasked the Productivity Commission to look at all aspects of Australia’s working conditions.
What Abbott’s doing is trying hard to stop a rout of Baird’s government in NSW. Victorians weren’t fooled — they booted Napthine out after one term. Queenslanders weren’t fooled — they booted Newman out after one term.
Now its NSW turn to boot Baird out after one term. Send a clear message to Abbott and Hockey that LNP policies are un-Australian.
This #NSWvotes — boot Baird — number EVERY box and put the LNP last.