Letters

Stand up for your constituents

Ed, Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis asserts that the privatisation by lease of Port Botany provided the capital for construction of the Grafton Bridge. This, he says, according to my paraphrasing, proves that Labor’s Shadow Minister for Services, Clayton Barr, is scaremongering when he points out that the NSW Government has included in a Regulation a schedule of companies to which functions of Service NSW may be contracted. Mr Gulaptis’ attempt to draw a link between leasing Port Botany and contracting out the management of a raft of our personal records is not only patently silly it is this flagged intention of the Coalition Government that is scary. It is not just the handing over the control of our personal records that is scary it is the prospect of compromising the quality service that we receive from the staff at the Grafton Service NSW office and can expect to receive from the soon to be converted Roads and Maritime Services office in Maclean. It is inconceivable that a private company committed to making profits for its managers and shareholders could offer the same quality of service that we now enjoy, let alone satisfy our expectations of security for our personal records. As Mr Barr points out at least one of the approved companies operates its call centre services from the Philippines. So, one way or another we should expect yet another loss of jobs for locals. Perhaps Mr Gulaptis could follow the lead of his colleague, the Nationals Member for Tamworth who has declared that he will oppose any attempt to implement this feature of the Regulation. Stand up for your constituents Mr Gulaptis, for the protection of their personal records and their jobs – or stand down. Colin Clague, South Arm