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It's about people

It's all about people. That might seem a pretty basic thing to say, but that's the key point we must always remember when we are talking about privatisation. Is it a plan that delivers quality services for people, or is it a plan that puts services that people need to tender for the lowest bidder? 

Delivering quality services means making sure that the person who relies on disability support services for that extra bit of care, the family who rely on public housing during tough times, the patient who needs accessible pathology in their hospital, get the support they need. It means making sure that you can get quality services, not just in the south-east corner, but in any of the places that make Queensland the great place it is to live, work and grow. 

You can see the details of the Newman Government's response to the Costello Commission of Audit here. 

This report talks a lot about quality services, but at its core is 'contestability'. 'Contestability' and 'efficiency' are loaded terms which mean every public service is up for challenge. Under this plan, the core responsibility we elect politicians to deliver - frontline services - is handed to big companies to undercut care, and undercut the people working hard to deliver better outcomes everyday. 

We know that the Queensland community understands privatisation means increased costs for families and a reduction in services. We need to keep reminding them that whether you call it contestability or something else, it means harming quality services for the Queenslanders who need them. 

That's what this is about. That's what Working For Queenslanders is about. Delivering quality services is our shared responsibility. Now it's time to act and remind Campbell Newman and his government of their own responsibility. It's a challenge that we are up for, with your help, one we can overcome. 

Now, more than ever, is the moment to share with your friends the reasons why privatisation will hurt Queensland,and get them to sign our petition. 

Tell us your reasons in the comments section below about why you want to stop the privatisation of our essential services, and why you are making a commitment to be part of this movement for a better Queensland. 

It's you, your stories, the people in your communities, that will mean we can win and build the Queensland we all deserve. 

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  • commented 2013-06-29 10:20:49 +1000 · Flag
    WE at Last have the Prime Minister we voted for on 2007 again …It is a clear message that Labor is going to get on with the job of Governing this Country failry and with Social Justice for all Australians . The privatisation of the Newman LNP Conservative Government will now hopefully be curbed by the fact that Abbott and co will not win the next election that the LNP thought they were going to win.. Ordinary Australians be they workers pensioners school children or the sick and disabled want a fair go ,and every since the Menzies days Fraser and Howard they never got that .It was only when Whitleam in 1971 was elected that radical refom became real and viable . Medibank(Medicare) Education ,Pensions Hospitals Social Justice became e evident. Hawke and Keating further progressed with this agenda and the Indigenous people of Australia were recognised as Australians after all they have been here 60,000 years. and Now we have kevin Rudd back at the helm just liek Kevin 07 …we need to keep Labor in Government least our standard of living becomes a Corporate controlled standard of Living..
  • commented 2013-05-23 09:18:48 +1000 · Flag
    Privatisation doesnt work It has been tried in the USA and UK much to the detriment of the public and the ordinary workers. It only helps corporations and the vested interests of conservative government s. The banks should be regulated by government not by their own will i.e. CEO ’s and their excessive pay cheques and final payouts . They care only about profit margins and the shareholders not the ordinary workers and public they are a bit like a vampire running the blood bank . If we allow the Newman government and the Federal Government if elected of Abbott and company to privatise everything and give it all to the private sector there will be no control on what corporations will and can do . Price rises and burden will fall on the workers pensioners and the ones that can ill afford increases in electricity gas rents and food . There is talk the the LNP will increase the GST to 15% ,such a increase on a tax that no one can avoid would be crippling on a already crippled public . The LNP of Abbott and the Labor Government of Gillard have both lost the plot on Social Justice . The Labor Party of old cared about the workers the pensioners and the disabled . They lost the plot . The LNP never cared about the Workers the Pensioners or the Disabled . Machs Colombani 23/5/2013
  • commented 2013-05-22 16:45:46 +1000 · Flag
    Privatisation is another descriptive/term used for NON-DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM…it was attempted by Ben Chifley to nationalise the Banks…for the purpose of control of the States Finance it was VETOED…repeat!!! or move to China/Nth Korea..
  • commented 2013-05-21 14:42:51 +1000 · Flag
    Privatisation will directly affect my grandson’s life in the future he is autistic.It will directly affect two of my children who are employed by disability Queensland.It will directly affect many businesses in Ipswich who provide services that those people who are retrenched will no longer be able to afford.This will have an effect on schools who may find their numbers drop as parents pack their children up and go looking for work.It will affect people who bought houses based on their wages which will lead to a glut of houses on the market,many families who are servicing high levels of debt based on the income they had .Lastly ,Ipswich has a large number of people with disabilities due to the proximity of institutions prior to deinstitutionalisation,how is the removal of services,of people they know and trust going to save Queensland from debt?So much for a premier who in one fell swoop is prepared to destroy the oldest city in Queensland and deny some of the most vulnerable members of our community their home and lifestyle,people with a disability and the children of those parents being sacked. Shame on you Newman and cohorts not forgetting the man who received a payment large enough to feed and house several families so he could tell Newman how to save money,Costello.
  • commented 2013-05-21 10:09:41 +1000 · Flag
    Selling off essential services is like selling the family silver.
  • commented 2013-05-21 04:24:29 +1000 · Flag
    Services need to be accessible by all people, not just those that can afford them.
  • commented 2013-05-10 08:04:49 +1000 · Flag
    The Government is elected by the People Governments are there to serve the voting public not to serve their intersted and their vested interests in Corporations . The privatisation only serves big business corporations and shareholders,it doesnt serve the average Australian especially the disadvantaged disabled and the elderly . The Government should be keeping Utilties such as Electricity,Gas and Public Transport Hospitals, Health even Insurance and Banking …these were once the domain of State Governments and they still should be in order to serve the people . Governments are not there to make a profit . Most Governments in the world run on a deficit. This right wing obsession to get a budget in the black at the cost of Social Justice is not warranted. WE need a viable Public Service we need to reverse the mistakes of previous Conservative Governments (i.e. LNP Parties both Federal and State) Its all up to you.
  • commented 2013-05-09 16:39:46 +1000 · Flag
    The economy serves the people, not vice versa
  • followed this page 2013-05-08 10:13:27 +1000
  • commented 2013-05-07 21:06:50 +1000 · Flag
    This government was elected on a lie – that public servants would not be affected. The previous government would have achieved the same outcomes as this one – only over a longer time period. Newman is rushing to make a surplus when there is no need to be so fast.

    Privatisation of services usually costs the people more in the long run than maintaining existing services. Electricity costs are a good example. The overspending of the private companies just adds to their profits. And you cant blame them because they are profit orientated.

    But the public pays!

    Privatisation of disability services is against the best interests of the service users – the disabled. I see the difference in care given to the people in private care every day and it dose not come near the care given in the AS&RS service. The AS&RS could be just as competitive as the private organisations if the quality of service was reduced to their level. The public have become accustomed to quality services and will be negative about a government that takes away this service at no long term advantage.

    I expect the next elections will advertise that “Anybody who knows somebody who has lost their job or funding because of a Newman cut-back should vote Labour!”
  • commented 2013-05-07 13:12:16 +1000 · Flag
    Totally against privatisation as its only interest is profit driven out comes. Selling off assets is something that Queenslander’s do not take lightly. Look at Ergon our only privatised electricity company. They charge like wounded bulls. Cambell Newman is not in this job because he deserves to be he’s in it for his own securement. That is to secure a wealthy future for himself and family. Abbott will do exactly the same as Newman has and the country will suffer more than it ever has. Look at America and the UK. These are the templates of the LNP governments. We are a socially Just country. We need to be proud that we have a culture of looking out for working every day people and the disadvantaged. Lets keep Australia a country we can be proud of and a Queensland that we can be faithful too. Wake up Australia for the sake of the county and all that we stand for as Australians!
  • commented 2013-05-04 11:11:20 +1000 · Flag
    The LNP Party have an agenda that is not made up of Social Justice nor is it in the interested of all Queenslanders wether in the workforce or retired . The sole object of privitisation is to make sure that utilities and main core public needs like hospital medical services and prisons transportation and the ultimate goal is to have less utilties and State run corporations . A type of lend lease plan given to private enterprise if they the LNP dont sell it outright. Make no mistake this will be the State Governments plan over the course of the first term and will follow thereafter if they are re elected again . This overall stratergy will also be in the Federal plane that Abbot will implement over the years if he and the LNP are elected in September . Your rights as a citizen your right to vote is the only way to stop this social injustice that you see slowly unreavelling before you now . We have only seen a small glimpse of the beginning of this neo conservative right wing policies. we are seeing only the shadow of more clear events that will unfold unless we stop the rot.
  • commented 2013-05-02 23:23:53 +1000 · Flag
    All Queenslanders are struggling to live as it is if this goes to privatisation
    we we will not be able to eat.. you lost the money cut your salaries and your staff and pay for your mistakes.why must we suffer and you live so well
    you privatised the roads we did not even have a say now we have to pay for
    it STOP giving our money to everyone else E.G the boat people ect
  • commented 2013-05-02 17:09:13 +1000 · Flag
    Why sell the golden goose when we have to buy back the eggs. If they can guarantee that privatisation will not increase prices willie nillie and we won’t be screwed over by the private shareholders etc then yes let’s do it – but history has proven this is not possible – so leave it alone. You (the Government) has lost monies you find why should we pay for your mistakes. Thieves all of them
  • commented 2013-05-02 10:14:15 +1000 · Flag
    I understand your priority is Public servants but as the union that supports them that is not bound by the code of ethics ensuring public servants are unable to speak to we primary carers about marches etc,it would have been a wise and productive move to go to the media to ensure we parents and carers were allowed the opportunity to throw our considerable weight behind the staff..Our priority is our children but it is in our best interest to support staff so our services are not shuffled off to NGOs.I hope that you will remember this in the future and ensure that all stakeholders in this movement have the opportunity to get involved
  • commented 2013-05-02 10:00:09 +1000 · Flag
    These companies that want to buy our public assets and , services are foreigners.. Do we really want foreign corporations dictating policies and how much or little services we get? Or how much we pay for them? I believe Campbell Newman is selling Queenslanders down the river(already has).. We see this happening not just in Australia but all ove the world it has happened, and now the sell off campaign is being forced down our throats. Companies exist for profit only. You will see a gradual decline in the quality of services if this is allowed to happen. Please WAKE UP QUEENSLANDERS for the sake of your families and the generations to come.
  • commented 2013-05-02 00:23:09 +1000 · Flag
    Private Companies exist to profit on their endeavours. If the provision of any Public Services are transferred to Private Companies the immediate result is a conflict of interest, because the Private company is focused on profit.
  • commented 2013-05-01 19:53:22 +1000 · Flag
    Say NO to foreign ownership! PLEASE! ! !
  • commented 2013-05-01 18:34:37 +1000 · Flag
    Selling off should not be an option but bringing in competition should be. Only one company in Cairns Ergon! They charge what they want as they have the monopoly……
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