Flogging off the Snowy to the highest bidder

Why are our Government leaders intent on selling the Snowy River, apart from the fact that some rich folks want to buy it and we might make a bit of quick easy cash to be frittered away on tax cuts and the like?

The Snowy River is one of the great Australian icons as well as the life blood of a quarter of our continent. Governments are tempted to sell it to absolve themselves of any responsibility for its restoration, preservation and sustainable management on the flimsy premise that free market economics and foreign ownership will do it better.

Globally, the experience of privatising water supply has not been a happy or successful one. As often as not, the contracts for these deals also give the owners exclusive right to the rain which falls in the catchment - anyone trying to steal rain will have to pay an extra premium. What next - an air tax?

Selling a national natural asset like the Snowy, which will eventually end up in the hands of foreign shareholders looking for a good financial return, is reprehensible and tantamount to public larceny. It will be a decision we’ll regret for generations to come.

As a people, as a nation, we can choose to preserve this priceless asset for all Australians for all time. Stand up Kim Beazley and speak out against this economically reckless nonsense. Promise the people that a Labor Government will maintain the nation’s sovereignty over our natural heritage. Build a better leadership on issues like this and the people will come.