Mark Speakman
NSW Leader of the Opposition
Natalie Ward
Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads
Jenny Aitchison's media release this morning and her anticipated performance at her press conference today show just how far the Minns Labor Government will stretch the truth to take credit for projects they did not plan, did not fund and did not start.
The Western Harbour Tunnel, like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel before it, have been projects delivered by NSW Liberals and Nationals governments.
All Labor has done is cut ribbons and issue media releases for projects built on the back of NSW Liberals and Nationals planning.
Jenny Aitchison calls it Labor's "first new harbour crossing in 30 years" but the facts tell a different story. The Sydney Harbour Bridge passed through the NSW Parliament under the conservative government in 1922. The Sydney Harbour Tunnel was delivered by the Greiner and Fahey Coalition Governments and opened in 1992. The Western Harbour Tunnel was approved and funded by the previous NSW Liberals and Nationals Government well before Labor took office.
For a government that constantly shouts about "public ownership", Labor's record on privatisation tells the real story.
Privatisations under Labor:
- Axiom Funds Management – sold in 1996 for $215 million under Carr Labor.
- Sydney Markets Authority (Flemington) – sold in 1997 under Carr Labor.
- TAB Ltd – privatised in 1998 for $1.017 billion under Carr Labor.
- Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited – transferred in 1999 under Carr Labor.
- Coleambally Irrigation Ltd – transferred in 2000 under Carr Labor.
- FreightCorp – sold in 2002 for $669 million under Carr Labor.
- Integral Energy Gas Pty Ltd – sold in 2002 under Carr Labor.
- Powercoal Pty Ltd – sold in 2002 for $323 million under Carr Labor.
- Pacific Power (International) Pty Ltd – sold in 2003 under Carr Labor.
- Pacific Solar – sold in 2004 under Carr Labor.
- QStores and cmSolutions – sold in 2005 for $38 million under Carr Labor.
- Emmlink (Country Energy) – sold in 2006 for $85 million under Iemma Labor.
- EnergyAustralia Pty Ltd (subsidiary) – sold in 2007 for $207 million under Iemma Labor.
- NSW Lotteries – sold in 2010 for about $1 billion under Keneally Labor.
- Country Energy Gas Pty Ltd – sold in 2010 for $107 million under Keneally Labor.
- WSN Environmental Solutions – sold in 2010 for $234 million under Keneally Labor.
- Electricity retail businesses – Country Energy, Integral Energy and EnergyAustralia retail arms sold in 2010–11 for over $5 billion under Keneally Labor.
- Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) under Labor – many with international backers –
- Eastern Distributor – tolled and contract awarded 1997 under Carr Labor.
- Cross City Tunnel – tolled and contract awarded 2002 under Carr Labor.
- Lane Cove Tunnel – tolled and contract awarded 2003 under Carr Labor.
- Westlink M7 – tolled and contract awarded 2003 under Carr Labor.
- Chatswood Transport Interchange – contract awarded 2005 under Iemma Labor.
- Parramatta Transport Interchange – contract awarded 2004 under Carr Labor.
- School Project 1 - 9 new public schools in Sydney, Wollongong, Shell Harbour and on the Central Coast – contract awarded 2003 under Carr Labor Government
- School Project 2 - design, construction and financing of 7 primary schools, 3 high schools and one special development school, located predominately in new urban growth areas of NSW – contract awarded 2006 under Iemma Labor Government.
- Newcastle Community Health Centre – contract awarded 2005 under Iemma Labor.
- Newcastle Mater Hospital Redevelopment – contract awarded 2005 under Iemma Labor Government.
- Long Bay Prison Hospital and Forensic Hospital – contract awarded 2006 under Iemma Labor.
- Orange Hospital and associated facilities – contract awarded 2007 under Iemma Labor.
- Royal North Shore Hospital and Community Health Facility – contract awarded 2008 under Rees Labor.
- Waratah Trains (Reliance Rail) – contract awarded 2006 under Iemma Labor.
- Sydney SuperDome (Qudos Bank Arena) – contract awarded 1997 under Carr Labo Government.
- Bonnyrigg Living Communities Project – contract awarded 2007 under Iemma Labor.
- Global Renewables Eastern Creek – contract awarded 2003 under Carr Labor.
- Rosehill–Camellia Recycled Water Project – contract awarded 2009 under Rees Labor Government.
For all their talk about "keeping things public", Labor has privatised billions worth of public assets and delivered infrastructure deals through PPPs.
Jenny Aitchison and Chris Minns might talk about "Labor's vision" but the truth is every piece of rail, metro and road she now cuts ribbons for was planned, funded and contracted by the NSW Liberals and Nationals. From the Sydney Metro to WestConnex, NorthConnex, M8, M12, and the very Western Harbour Tunnel she boasts about today, the groundwork was planned, funded and laid by the NSW Liberals and Nationals.
And let's not forget, her boss Premier Chris Minns knows better than anyone how the system works. As senior staffer to former Labor Roads Minister Carl Scully, Chris Minns helped design Sydney's toll road network.
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Jenny Aitchison's media release shows Labor's selective memory at its worst.
"Labor has a long history of selling what it cannot manage, then trying to take credit for what it did not build," Mr Speakman said.
Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads Natalie Ward said every road, bridge and metro she has tried to claim was from Labor was delivered by the NSW Liberals and Nationals."
"Instead of rewriting history, Labor should try delivering something of its own. NSW deserves builders, not broadcasters," Ms Ward said.
If Jenny Aitchison spent half as much time delivering her own projects as she does polishing NSW Liberals and Nationals achievements, she might finally build something her government could truly call its own.
