Just two weeks before the 2009 Budget, the State Labor Government announced plans to privatise Queensland’s rail freight networks, ports, roads and motorways and forestry reserves.

Queensland Council of Unions

Fact Sheet - Privitisation

A threat to jobs and regional communities

Just two weeks before the 2009 Budget, the State Labor Government announced plans to privatise Queensland’s rail freight networks, ports, roads and motorways and forestry reserves.

Premier Anna Bligh claimed on 2 June that Queensland needed to sell off public assets to regain its AAA credit rating with international financiers. She claimed a five-year sell-off plan would deliver almost $30 billion to the State.

This is a short-sighted plan. These assets are income-generating and should continue to operate in the interests of the people of Queensland. Up to 10,000 jobs are under threat from this decision with workers facing threats to their job security, wages and entitlements - especially in regional Queensland where Queensland Rail provides stable employment for thousands of workers. Specfic assets identified for privatisation include:

• Queensland Rail’s coal and freight infrastructure throughout Queensland
• the Abbot Point Coal Terminal near Bowen
• the Port of Brisbane
• Queensland Motorways Limited - the Gateway Motorway and the Logan Motorway
• Forestry Plantations Queensland, with operations in Atherton, Hinchinbrook, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Maryborough, Gympie, Esk, Crows Nest and Warwick.

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