This letter has come across my email intray, and it deserves to be shared.
It is supposed to be from Paul Keating to John Robertson MLC and looks genuine.
A few quotes give a flavour of the contents.
“…this is not a letter of congratulation.
“…your manipulation of the union base…succeeded in destroying the political life of [Iemma and Costa]…and…probably the Labor government of New South Wales itself…
“When I met you and went through the history of the establishment of the east coast electricity market by the Government…you never offered one serious point of rebuttal….You batted the argument to one side, implying that it would somehow be sorted out…
“But instead, like a banshee on a rampage you tore at the Government’s entrails until its viability was effectively compromised.
“Let me tell you, if the Labor Party’s stocks ever get so low as to require your services in its Parliamentary leadership, it will itself have no future. Not a skerrick of principle or restraint have you shown.”
December 18, 2008 | Graham
If he didn’t write it, he should have.
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This was on Crikey a few days ago. I don’t know if that lends it credibilty. The tone seem like genuine Keating.
Comment by Patrick B — December 19, 2008 @ 9:52 am
Didn’t realise that Crikey had also published it. I had it a few days ago, but it went to the bottom of a pile of work.
Comment by Graham Young — December 19, 2008 @ 11:35 am
This item is older than Crikey. See
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/jacktheinsider/index.php/theaustralian/comments/keating_lets_the_sparks_fly/P225/
I quote from “Jack the insider”, his kernal of neocon wisdom:
“The privatisation of public assets is a tricky business at the best of times but in relation to New South Wales electricity, it has been apparent for many years that it is in the public interest for the government to divest itself of these assets.
In 1998, NSW Premier Bob Carr considered the prospect of electricity privatisation but failed to get the proposal up at his party’s conference and quickly ditched the idea. At the time the assets were worth $25 billion.
By 2007, the assets were worth $15 billion. So there’s $10 billion of public money lost right there.
If you think that’s bad, it gets worse because there must be a new base load power generator up and running in New South Wales by 2014 or significant power shortages will occur across the state. The cost? $10 billion. And without privatisation, the people of New South Wales are looking at sliding further into debt to finance the new generator.”
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Is Keating one of the cavemen we are asking to reinvent the wheel? Not me. I’m asking him to stick to his antiques.
I’m hoping for widespread solar electricity panels and a feedback tariff, Solar heating and rebates, jobs for ordinary people instead of sell-offs to energy giants at bargain-basement prices. And energy efficiency leading to Negawatts (energy savings).
Probably I should dash off to my GP for advice about my “hope disorder”.
Comment by Sir Vivor — December 19, 2008 @ 4:31 pm