Join the Climate Contingent
To Stop the Sell Off of Public Energy in NSW

Join the Climate Contingent for No Coal
At the rally organised by Unions NSW outside the NSW ALP Conference
Saturday May 3 at 9.30am
Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Iemma and Costa are selling off our climate future – planning to hand 37% of NSW’s greenhouse gas emissions to the private sector.

Facing massive opposition from the community and environmentalists, workers and unions, and with 650 of 800 Delegates to the NSW ALP Conference poised to oppose privatisation, Costa has pledged to forge ahead regardless.

Allowing private, profit-driven corporations to control NSW’s biggest source of domestic greenhouse pollution would be an unmitigated disaster for the climate. Iemma’s plan is designed to encourage private corporations to build a new baseload power station, significantly increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Iemma and Costa are misleading the community and workers on the real cost of the sell-off of our energy: selling off public control of our climate future.

The privatisation of electricity in Victoria saw electricity prices skyrocket to an all time high, hundreds of jobs sent offshore, and kept the world’s most polluting coal-fired power stations in operation – an experience echoed across the world.

The NSW coal-fired power stations up for sale are among the most polluting in the world – the Eraring power station emits over 20 million tons of CO2 each year. Privatisation of such stations will ensure that we continue down the coal-fired path of climate change.

Private electricity retailers would have a financial imperative to increase demand for electricity, increasing our state’s greenhouse pollution. This is the exact opposite of what needs to happen. We need a moratorium on coal-fired power stations, and we need to start phasing them out. Phasing out coal, and cutting unsustainable energy demand, will not be driven by profit-motivated companies. It requires strong government intervention.

Environmentalists support the union movement’s mobilisation to fight the privatisation plans. We agree the plan threatens the rights of working people across NSW, and our right to affordable electricity. It is a major setback to efforts for serious action on climate change.

Join us on Saturday May 3, to hold Costa and Iemma to account.

If you have ideas, input, or want to join us, please contact
Holly Creenaune and Beck Pearse at Friends of the Earth Sydney – holly.creenaune@foe.org.au / 0417 682 541
beck.pearse@gmail.com / 0405 105 101

http://www.stoptheselloff.org.au/

P.S. In February, Costa even said he didn’t care if he was expelled from the ALP for pushing privatisation. Let’s send off our sell-out Treasurer with the public party he deserves! We’ll have a giant farewell card, streamers, as well as coal costumes, huge banners and more!

Get out your diaries, and write in the Farewell Party for Coal-Crazy Costa. Hope to see you in the Climate Contingent on May 3 at 9.30am outside the Convention Centre, Darling Harbour.