THE NSW Government must provide a comprehensive rural impact study and a review by the Auditor General if it hopes to gain support for its electricity privatisation plans.

These are two of the five conditions that must be met before there is any chance of Coalition support for the Premier’s $10-15billion electricity privatisation plans.

The plans would require the Auditor General to provide a report to the Parliament before any vote on legislation allowing the sale of the State’s electricity assets.

A rural and regional communities impact statement will also be completed and released, focusing on issues such as jobs, prices and services levels, and providing

for genuine community consultation.

The Government has also agreed to meet the Coalition’s conditions on an independent oversight committee to monitor spending of any proceeds, a parliamentary committee to guarantee delivery of renewable energy commitments, and a review of the effectiveness of proposed safety nets for pensioners and other low income earners.

Tamworth-based Nationals MLC Trevor Khan said the community impact statements would seek opinion from as wider spread of groups as possible – from electricity workers to the Country Women’s Association and everyone in between. And once this detail and the Auditor General’s report had been considered, only then would the Coalition consider siding with the

proposal.

Mr Khan also rejected a description by Member for Tamworth Peter Draper of “a sleazy deal between the Treasurer and the Opposition”.

Mr Khan said the position of the Opposition in rejecting the Premier’s proposal had been precise, clear and on the table for quite some time.

“There is nothing sleazy about trying to hold the government accountable,” he said.

“We’re trying to achieve the best possible outcome for the people of NSW.

“In fact I don’t think we are singing from a particularly different hymn sheet,” Mr Khan said in relation to the Coalition’s and the Independent MP’s opposition of the sell-off.

“This whole deal is far too serious to play sideline commentary games,” Mr Khan said. He said the Opposition was the alternative government and held a widely shared opinion that Premier Iemma did not have the numbers on his side of the house to get the legislation through.

“We knew there was a phone call coming from (the Treasurer) Costa, it was just a matter of when, not if,” Mr Khan said.

He believed Morris Iemma’s premiership was “almost in terminal decline” as it was now relying on the Opposition to get its legislation through.