Footnotes

Chapter 1 - Introduction and background

[1]        Journals of the Senate, No. 63, 30 October 2014, p. 1704; Journals of the Senate, No. 72, 2 December 2014, p. 1940.

[2]        National Commission of Audit, Towards Responsible Government, Phase One, February 2014, p. xiv, 220–221.

[3]        The Hon Joe Hockey MP, Treasurer, Treasurers agree to boost infrastructure, Media release, 28 March 2014.

[4]        Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, p. 2.

[5]        The Building Australia Fund was established in 2009 to to finance capital investment in transport infrastructure (such as roads, rail, urban transport and ports), communications infrastructure (such as broadband), energy infrastructure and water infrastructure; http://www.finance.gov.au/investment-funds/NBF/BAF.html, (accessed 5 march 2015).

[6]        The Education Investment Fund was established in 2008 to provide funding for projects that create or develop significant infrastructure in higher education, research and vocational education and training institutions; https://www.education.gov.au/education-investment-fund, (accessed 5 march 2015).

[7]        Australian Government, Budget 2014–15, Budget Measure, Budget Paper No. 2, 13 May 2014, p. 114

[8]        House of Representatives, Votes and Proceedings, No. 41, 29 May 2014, p. 515; Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014, Explanatory Memorandum, p. 4.

[9]        Asset Recycling Fund Bill 2014, https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r5255, (accessed 5 February 2015); Schedule of amendments made by the Senate to which the House of Representatives has disagreed. (accessed 5 February 2015).

[10]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 14.

[11]      Infrastructure is the basic physical and organisation structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. It includes roads, bridges, tunnels, water systems, sewers, electricity grids, telecommunication systems, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/infrastructure, (accessed 6 March 2015).

[12]      Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, The Asset Recycling Initiative, http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/publications/reports/pdf/factsheets2014/Factsheet_The_Asset_Recycling_Initiative.pdf, (accessed 5 March 2015).

[13]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 13; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 19.

[14]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 13; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clauses 18, 19.

[15]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 13; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 22.

[16]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 13; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 15.

[17]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 13; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 15.

[18]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 14; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 32.

[19]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 14; Council of Australia Governments, National Partnership Agreement on Asset Recycling, 2 May 2014, Clause 23.

[20]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, 27 May 2014, p. v.

[21]      Productivity Commission Inquiry report into Public Infrastructure, Government Response, November 2014,

[22]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, 27 May 2014, p. 2.

[23]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, 27 May 2014, p. 2.

[24]      Community service obligations are common and exist for a number of utilities, including current and former government business enterprises. For example, Australia Post has statutory community service obligations as part of its customer service charter, which require it to provide an accessible letter service at a single uniform rate within Australia for standard letters, http://auspost.com.au/about-us/customer-service-charter.html, (accessed 16 March 2015).

[25]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, 27 May 2014, p. 40.

Chapter 2 - Linking infrastructure funding to privatisation

[1]        Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, The Asset Recycling Initiative, http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/publications/reports/pdf/factsheets2014/Factsheet_The_Asset_Recycling_Initiative.pdf, (accessed 3 March 2014).

[2]        Australia Logistics Council, Submission 12, pp 4–6; Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Submission 13, p. 7; Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, Submission 11, p. 2.

[3]        Mr Stephen Koukoulas, Managing Director, Market Economics, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 9.

[4]        Professor John Quiggin, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 23.

[5]        Mr Mark Lennon, Secretary of Unions NSW, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 32; Mr Adam Kerslake, Director, Stop the Sell Off campaign, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 35.

[6]        Professor John Quiggin, Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, University of Queensland, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 23.

[7]        Treasury, Submission 28, p. 15.

[8]        Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 88.

[9]        Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 262.

[10]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 262.

[11]      Water Services Association of Australia, Submission 10, p. 4.

[12]      Water Service Association of Australia, Submission 10, p. 5; Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, Submission 11, p. 2.

[13]      Mr Chris Legg, Chief Adviser, Industries and Infrastructure Division, Department of the Treasury, Committee Hansard, 20 February 2015, p. 42.

[14]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 263.

[15]      Community and Public Sector Union, Submission 2, p. 1; Stop the Sell Off,  Submission 23, p. 2.

[16]      Professor John Quiggin, Submission 21, p. 8.

[17]      Community and Public Sector Union, Submission 2, p. 1; Stop the Sell Off, Submission 23, p. 2.

[18]      Stephen Koukoulas and Thomas Devlin, The McKell Institute, Nothing to gain, plenty to lose: Why the government, households and businesses could end up paying a high price for electricity privatisation, December 2014, p. 6.

[19]      Stephen Koukoulas and Thomas Devlin, The McKell Institute, Nothing to gain, plenty to lose: Why the government, households and businesses could end up paying a high price for electricity privatisation, December 2014, pp 16, 54.

[20]      Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Submission 13, p. 8; Australian Services Union, Submission 15, p. 5; Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 3; Mr Chris Legg, Chief Adviser, Industries and Infrastructure Division, Department of the Treasury, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 43.

[21]      Mr Stephen Koukoulas, Managing Director, Market Economics, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 12.

[22]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 264.

[23]      A ‘brownfield’ investment opportunity is one that involves the sale or re-development of an asset which already has an operating history. This is in contrast to a ‘greenfield’ project, which involves the development of a new project without an operating history and which typically also involves construction risk, http://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/insights/legal-briefings/new-or-recycled-predicting-the-pipeline-of-super-investment-in-infrastructure,  (accessed 11 March 2015).

[24]      Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 3; Treasury, Submission 28, p. 10.

[25]      Professor Henry Ergas, Productivity Commission Public Infrastructure inquiry, Submission 87, p. 17.

[26]      Mr Stephen Koukoulas, Managing Director, Market Economics, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, pp 8–11.

[27]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 262.

[28]      Mr David Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, The Australia Institute, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 5; Mr Stephen Koukoulas, Managing Director, Market Economics, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 11.

[29]      Professor Henry Ergas, Productivity Commission Public Infrastructure inquiry, Submission 87, p. 17.

[30]      Professor Henry Ergas, Productivity Commission Public Infrastructure inquiry, Submission 87, p. 17.

[31]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 63.

[32]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 64.

[33]      Mr Peter Emery, Submission 14, P. 5; Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker, Submission 30, p. 8; Australian Workers Union, Submission 32, p. 7.

[34]      Northern Territory Opposition, Submission 33, p. 1; United Voice NT, Submission 27, p. 2. Ms Kay Densley, Northern Territory Regional Director, Community and Public Sector Union, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 11.

[35]      Northern Territory Opposition, Submission 33, pp 1–2.

[36]      The Hon Delia Lawrie MLA, Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 1.

[37]      United Voice NT, Submission 27, p. 2.

[38]      Mr Gerry Wood MLA, Northern Territory Parliament, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 37.

[39]      Mr Richard Harding, Former CEO, Territory Insurance Office, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 50.

[40]      Ms Elise McLay, Northern Territory Organiser, Transport Workers Union, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 11.

[41]      Northern Territory Opposition, Submission 33, p. 2.

[42]      Mr Gary Barnes, Coordinator-General of Major Projects and Investments, Northern Territory Government, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 46.

[43]      Mr Peter Emery, Submission 14, p. 5.

[44]      Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker, Submission 30, p. 13.

[45]      NSW Greens, Submission 34, pp 5–6.

[46]      Emeritus Professor Bob Walker, private capacity, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 14.

[47]      Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 2.

[48]      Mr David Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, The Australia Institute, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, pp 3–4.

[49]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, 27 May 2014, p. 2.

[50]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 2, 89.

[51]      Mr Peter Emery, Submission 14, P. 6; Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker, Submission 30, pp 13–14;

[52]      Stephen Koukoulas and Thomas Devlin, The McKell Institute, Nothing to gain, plenty to lose: Why the government, households and businesses could end up paying a high price for electricity privatisation, December 2014, p. 53.

[53]      Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker, Submission 30, pp 12, 13–14.

[54]      Emeritus Professor Bob Walker, Private Capacity, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 14; ACCC, Submission 8, p. 3; Community and Public Sector Union, Submission 2, p. 2; Australian Services Union, Submission 15, pp 24–25; Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, pp 8–9; Maritime Union of Australia, Submission 36, pp 28–29; Dr Penny Howard, National Research Officer, National Office, Maritime Union of Australia, Committee Hansard,18 February 2015, p. 37.

[55]      ACCC, Submission 8, p. 3; Australian Sugar Industry Alliance, Submission 18, p. 1; Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 3.

[56]      ACCC, Submission 8, p. 3.

[57]      Mr Michael Cosgrave, Executive General Manager, Infrastructure Regulation Division, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Committee Hansard, p. 44.

[58]      ACCC, Submission 8, pp 5–6.

[59]      ACCC, Submission 8, pp 5–6.

[60]      ACCC, Submission 8, p. 3.

[61]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 85.

[62]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 18.

[63]      Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 8.

[64]      Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 8.

[65]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 11.

[66]      Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 3.

[67]      Mr Peter Emery, Submission 14, p. 9; Electrical Trades Union, Submission 19, p. 9; Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 10; Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker,  Submission 30, p. 16; Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 5.

[68]      Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 10; Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 5; Mr David Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, The Australia Institute, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 5.

[69]      Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 5.

[70]      Business Council of Australia, Submission 22, p. 10.

[71]      Emeritus Professor Bob Walker and Dr Betty Con Walker, Submission 30, p. 16.

[72]      Dr Betty Con Walker, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, pp 17–18; Professor John Quiggin, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, pp 23–24.

[73]      Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 5; The Hon Delia Lawrie MLA, Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory, Committee Hansard, 16 February 2015, p. 5.

[74]      Northern Territory Government, Submission 31, p. 5.

[75]      Mr Chris Legg, Chief Adviser, Industries and Infrastructure Division, Department of the Treasury, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, p. 42.

[76]      Treasury, Submission 28, p. 14.

[77]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 264.

Dissenting Report by Government Senators

[1]        Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, The Asset Recycling Initiative, http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/publications/reports/pdf/factsheets2014/Factsheet_The_Asset_Recycling_Initiative.pdf, (accessed 5 March 2015).

[2]        The Hon Joe Hockey MP, Media release, $2 billion Asset Recycling deal to rebuild NSW, http://jbh.ministers.treasury.gov.au/media-release/016-2015/, (accessed 18 March 2015).

[3]        Stephen Koukoulas, http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/stephen-koukoulas, (accessed 18 March 2015).

[4]        Ernst and Young Australia, Network Pricing Trends, Queensland Perspective, January, 2015.

[5]        Australian Industry Group,  AI Group Statement, January 2015

[6]        UnitingCare Australia, Network tariffs applicable to households in Australia: empirical evidence, Report prepared for UnitingCare Australia by Carbon and Energy Markets, February 2015.

[7]        Wood, T., NSW power privatisation: Stop the Sell Off claims put to the test, The Conversation, 10 March 2015.

[8]        Wood, T., Putting the customer back in front: How to make electricity cheaper, Grattan Institute, December, 2012.

[9]        Australian Logistics Council, Submission 12, p. 4.

[10]      Productivity Commission, Public Infrastructure, Inquiry report, No. 71, May 2014, p. 264.

Additional Comments by the Australian Greens -  

[1]        Mr Chris Legg, Chief Adviser, Industries and Infrastructure Division, Department of the Treasury, Committee Hansard, 20 February 2015, p. 42.

[2]        Mr Stephen Koukoulas, Managing Director, Market Economics, Committee Hansard, 18 February 2015, pp 8–11.