Blackbreaks

Or Why Privatisation is bullshit*

With all this excitable hoo-haa** about the current ultra right-wing Liberal Party controlled Australian Government  (to be clear to outsiders, the current Australian “Liberal”  Party are a crazy Tea party style conservative party – I know, it’s weird), many many many good friends and fine people alike have a tendency to randomly stop us in the street (it’s true, really) , or say at the park when walking the dog or the studio Llama, to ask us Blackbreaking musicians (and genuine bona fide political philosopher-er-erers )  about the origins of said right-wing mythology, most particularly in the modern Australian context. Well now –  THAT is indeed a very good question folks, so grab a hot chocolate and sit down by the fire..and let us begin..

We’ve all done it right? Gone out to see a few bands, had a few ales, come home late, and just before we flick over to watch rage we realise the flat mate has left on ABC24 (TV ) and then you hear a snatch of some Government Minister like Chris “Cross” Pyne wittily talking about education , or Immigration minister Scott “Jimmy” Morrison poignantly discussing Freedom, and as you eventually settle down for the evening to watch cool late night videos like this one you then start to wonder.. where on earth did all this politico – economicus clap trap originate from?

With out further ado, this weeks debunkers EPISODE ONE shall discuss:

WHY PRIVATISATION IS BULLSHIT!

In a NUTSHELL, the idea of “Privatisation” is about, well, selling off the “family jewels” (i coulda linked there but chose to protect you).

This idea oft celebrated by the Government of the day (Left or Right, Labor or Liberal, Tory or Socialist ) , is formulated so it can sell off big things cheap to gather lots of extra money in the budget this financial year, to pay for the latest bright ideas, or more usually –  some of last years crazy election promises much much sooner.

But why do they really want to sell such things off?

Is it not because someone once said:

“Big government bad, little government good?” 

Yuppo, Sure is.. Now why would they say that?

Is it because there is good economic evidence that smaller governments are more efficient allocators of public needs and resources? NO! Actually there no such evidence.

Well then,  Is it because private sector (for-profit businesses like big fat chunky corporations) are a more efficient allocator of said recourses?  NO! Again there is also rarely evidence that this is the case, and good or bad management comes in both private or public varieties.

Lets look at some classic Aussie hits and memories of attempts at privatisation:  Public transport? – Victorian trains are a wonderful basket case, or what about Sydneys Airport train – oh dear,  Road or tunnel building? – geez those public-private partnerships*** in Brisbane, Syndey and Melbourne have not been going too well  Pretend created markets in electricity distribution? – – QLD / NSW / VIC rising prices?!! AEMO you bewdy!) ,  Telstra  (NBN anybody ? for regions?), or what about *ahem* Qantas…?? All in all in aint really such a grand idea huh… Well what about the big  doosie  that private enterprise is better at delivering healthcare? No chance…ok OK OK  ! We got the point already !

If Governments are smaller (less resourced) then they are less able to decide how the cake is divided up, and options are severely limited on what they can do. SO the only REAL reason folk want PRIVATISATION, is cos  where there is smaller government, the private sector, and thus those that control this private sector, who just happen to be the wealthiest people in our society, get to call the shots.

SO – and i  feel you ought to be with us now – privatisation – simply means handing political POWER away from politicians that are democratically elected (for better or worse) and giving that decision making power about allocation of resources to the RICHEST people … simple hey?

It is not about freedom!!!!

It’s just a power grab !

Chris Dubrow
twitter: @chrisdubrow

*note: This post was unashamedly and fully sick-ly influenced by a far more serious and credible blog post by Bluntshovels called: “Austerity is bullshit”  – check it! 

**hoo-haa refers to the technical term not the other definition

*** yeah i know, i know, not total Privatisation, but half way there, and very secret..