Territorians just can’t trust Scott Morrison and his out-of-touch Liberal party with our public energy assets.

Yesterday the Federal Liberal Government introduced legislation that could lead to the forced privatisation of the Northern Territory’s energy assets.

Privatising energy assets is in the Liberals’ DNA.

When asked whether his “big stick” Bill could lead to electricity privatisation, the Treasurer said “absolutely not”. This is a blatant lie.

The Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill makes it clear that divestment involves the sale of assets of one corporation to any other (unrelated) corporation (section 5.28).

In addition, it states that if the corporation subject to a divestment order is publicly owned, under strict conditions (section 5.30), the sale of divested assets can (but is not required to) be to other government owned corporations.

There is nothing in the “big stick” Bill that requires the sale of government assets to go to other government bodies and there is nothing in the Bill that stops the Morrison Liberal government from forcing the privatisation of government owned electricity assets

Territorians have said repeatedly that they don’t want our assets privatised, but Scott Morrison is too out of touch to listen.

Under Labor, the Northern Territory’s public energy assets are not for sale. Not now or in the future, and certainly not by the direction of this chaotic incompetent government.

THURSDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2018