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Labor MP accuses assets sale task
force of selling nation's heritage
A Labor backbencher criticised
the Federal Government's assets
sales task force yesterday for
"methodically stripping away"
Australia's heritage while chasing
consultancies stemming from the
privatisation of government
owned enterprises.
NSW Labor MP Colin Hollis
told Parliament the inter-depart-
mental task force set up by the
Government to identify future
asset sales was staffed and ad-
vised by economic rationalists.
"The task force consists of,
and is advised by, economic ra-
tionalists and privatisation looks
good to them," Mr Hollis told
Parliament. "And to those advis-
ers it offers up the opportunity
of consultancy work for them."
Mr Hollis, a member of the
ALP's Left faction, made the
comments while speaking to a
private member's motion calling
on the Government to support
majority Australian ownership of
the Australian National Line.
His criticism comes only a day
Colin Hollis Help
Colin Hollis
after the national Left agreed to
campaign against plans to sell
off the Australian Industry De-
velopment Corporation and gov-
ernment-owned airports.
The Left is opposed to further
privatisation of government as
sets and has been continually an
gered by Cabinet's decision to
sell-off control of public-owned
companies such as Qantas.
His comments centred on his
opposition to the sale of ANL,
which was announced last year
and is expected to go ahead once
the Government completes a due
diligence report, but his strongest
criticism was for the task force
which sought to identify assets
for future sale.
"The assets task force is me
thodically stripping away our
heritage and our wealth and, I
believe, the control the Austra-
lian people have over our eco-
nomic future," Mr Hollis said.
"It has sold off enterprises to
people whose only interest is
self-interest at great cost to the
Australian economy and by sell
ing off assets that give wealth
back to the people."
Mr Hollis said it would be" a
scandal and economic folly if
Australia's only locally owned in-
ternational shipping line were
sold off to foreign ownership.
Debate on the motion was ad-
journed.
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