Re: Future of Queensland Rail looks bleak, says Beattie

[zardoz@one.net.au (Darryl)]

On Wed, 23 Aug 2000 23:25:49 +1000, Chris <csinn@netlink.com.au>
wrote:

>Sounds like privatisation time for Queensland is not to far off.
>
>
>David Bromage wrote:
>> 
>> Future of Queensland Rail looks bleak, says Beattie
>>    BRISBANE, Aug 23 AAP - The future of Queensland Rail appeared
>> bleak today after the federal government refused to let the
>> organisation tender for interstate contracts.
>>    Premier Peter Beattie said the federal government had sentenced
>> Queensland Rail to a "death of 1000 cuts" with its refusal to allow
>> the organisation to win contracts Australia-wide.
>>    Mr Beattie revealed Finance Minister John Fahey had written to
>> him stating the federal government's opinion that governments
>> should not be involved in rail freight.
>>    "We wanted to have Queensland Rail tender for some work
>> interstate and they knocked it back," he told a news conference.
>>    "They don't believe freight rail is something we should be in."
>>    Mr Beattie said he believed the federal government's stance on
>> Queensland Rail could eventually affect the National Competition
>> payments paid to the Queensland government.
>>    "Basically, they've ended Queensland Rail's future activities,"
>> he said.
>>    Earlier in parliament, Mr Beattie had said his Labor government
>> would not privatise Queensland Rail, promising to do all he could
>> to protect the jobs of QR's 14,000 employees.
>>    AAP bja/sc/nm

  If QR was a ship it'd capsize the first time it put to sea.
  Reason being it's that top heavy. They can create "fat cat"
positions with job descriptions that you'd need a PHD degree to
understand but can't/wont put on fettlers to maintain the track.
Darryl.