Peoples Inquiry into Privatisation

  • 23 October 2017

Taking Back Control released this week highlights the devastating impacts of privatisation on workers, service-users and the broader community.  Politicians at all levels of government are recklessly privatising our public services. The People’s Inquiry, chaired by David Hetherington, travelled around the country over the last year talking to communities about the impact of privatisation, as well as the types of public services they need.  We believe communities should have a say over how their services are run and what services they need: that’s why we’ve joined with other unions and organisations to call for a moratorium on all new privatisation proposals consistent with the key recommendation from the People’s Inquiry into Privatisation report.

The Turnbull government has directed the Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into how to further privatise our public services, without looking at whether handing over control of our services to corporations is in the best interest of all Australians.

With wage growth stagnating, insecure employment on the rise, and wealth inequality increasing, unions have an important role to play in fighting for equality; and public sector unions in particular in their fight for well funded, quality, accessible public services.

Our movement firmly believes that strong public services are key to creating a more equal society.  We commend the work done by the People's Inquiry and endorse the recommendations in the report. 

We say that governments should set the standard for private sector employers by providing good, secure, fairly paid jobs.  And our fight for quality public services, accessible to all, ensures that the most vulnerable people in our society don't fall through the cracks.

Our movement is fighting for a more equal society; we are fighting to change the rules. But we can't do this alone.  As unionists we need to be out there in our communities - in our neighbourhoods, sporting clubs, churches - talking to our friends, family and neighbours about the importance of public services.  We need to build alliances with civil society groups and community members so we can Take Back Control of our services and communities from the politicians and corporations who seek to undermine them.

We need to hold politicians accountable to make sure that they are serving the needs of our communities