Government - run businesses

Dear Editor,



The editorial (19th August, 2009) correctly rejects Gerry Wood’s crazy idea of taxpayer’s funding an abattoir. It goes on to say: “No business operated by any government anywhere at any time has worked well.” Of course this is true.



One therefore must ask the obvious question; why has the NT News never supported the privatization of the NT Government’s poorly performing businesses?



The obvious “business” to sell off would be PowerWater, which continues to provide very ordinary service whilst at the same time gobbling up millions of taxpayer’s dollars.



But obviously TIO, the Government Printing Office and the Darwin Bus Service, just to name a few, should all be sold off. There is no reason whatsoever to throw taxpayer’s money at these businesses.



And finally, if we really need a new jail, then call worldwide tenders from proven jail operators to design, construct and operate a new correctional facility somewhere in the greater Darwin area. There really is no valid reason for the taxpayer to run jails if they can be run more cheaply and efficiently by private enterprise.



With Gerry Wood’s massively expensive and mostly unnecessary “shopping list” together with the perilous state of the Henderson Government’s finances, surely now is the time to bite the privatization bullet?



Dave Wane



19th August, 2009