Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors

A more perceptive description would have been that "madness is the same old people doing the same old things the same old way, whilst expecting different results each time". I agree there are few other options for Mr O'Farrell than to pursue change by doing new things in new ways. All power to his elbow (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29).

Of course you are working on the premise that the 'sell the farm' attitude is the way to go (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29). Hayek and Friedman have a lot to answer for.
The free economy is responsible for the appalling financial position the world is in now and to continue down that path would be even more irresponsible than the lack of financial regulation that there is now.
Core service including power, water, and transport should not be privatised. How can a corporation preach conservation if their bottom line is more profit?

The madness is that while selling the assets might raise cash, every cent paid plus interest and massive profit, along with the usual obscene director salaries, will be wrung out of the NSW taxpayers' shrinking disposable incomes (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29).
This privatisation approach of destoying the lower-to-middle middle classes was pioneered in South America, where eventually, the people had enough and rebelled. From the reaction of NSW and Queensland voters it seems that day is not far off either.
A better plan would be to start trimming off the thousands of useless tax income eating, statute creating bureaucrats that infest every nook and cranny of life in what's fast becoming the remains of the lucky country.

In an age where climate change is the number one debate issue and power utilities are the number one culprit, wouldn't it make sense for a government to control those utilities? (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29.)
Rather than creating a whole new bureaucracy in Canberra for a carbon tax, wouldn't it be easier for the state government to increase the cost of electricity and use that money to subsidise renewable energy?
If the electricity assets are sold off the buyer will increase prices anyway to pay for what they bought. We may as well keep that extra income in government hands.

In terms of the privatisation of the Victorian electricity assests by Kennett, it should be noted that the bulk of the downsizing was done before privatisation, starting in the late 1980s by the old SECV, and the pre-privatisation segments of the disaggregated SECV. The downsizing after privatisation was relatively minor (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29).

When coal is rendered non viable as an energy source what will replace it? Those who insist wind and solar can do the job have rocks in their heads. (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29.)
And when taxpaying citizens begin dealing with blackouts, brownouts and ever higher energy bills, woe betide the political party that foisted such a situation upon them.

Selling vital assets to overseas companies – how stupid can we be? (See Capitalising on NSW's comedy of errors, March 29). Well, the proof is in what we have now with water and power sold off and rising prices. Shareholders make a nice packet thanks to the poor taxpayers.
All revenue should come back to the people for keeping the system viable and for repairs. Please, no more privatising any vital Aussie industries!