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'Super Saturday' for public power

Alex Bainbridge, Sydney

18 August 2008

Thirty people protested outside the office of NSW Labor MP Carmel Tebbutt on August 16 as part of a “Super Saturday” of campaign stalls against electricity privatisation. Around 50 electorates around the state were targeted by Power to the People — a campaign group that includes ALP members, trade unions, Greens, the Socialist Alliance, Solidarity, and other community and environment groups.

Buoyed by opinion polls showing up to 85% community opposition to electricity privatisation, Power to the People aims to build a groundswell of active opposition to the privatisation plan. Premier Morris Iemma’s government planned to get legislation enabling the privatisation through parliament during the last sitting, but failed to win enough support from its own MPs and to meet conditions imposed by the Liberal opposition to secure its support.

In addition to encouraging people to urge their local MP to vote against the privatisation, the Super Saturday campaigners were publicising an anti-privatisation rally to be held outside state parliament on September 20, three days before parliament resumes. Speakers at the action included Greens deputy mayor Peter Olive, Socialist Alliance candidate for Marrickville Pip Hinman and ALP member Peter Dodd.