Go Queensland: Re-education needed on asset sales

QUEENSLANDERS need to be told of the benefits of asset sales to education, hospitals and transport if they are going to buy a government’s plan to sell them off.

QUEENSLANDERS need to be told of the benefits of asset sales to education, hospitals and transport if they are going to buy a government’s plan to sell them to private companies.

According to QUT marketing expert Gary Mortimer, “Queenslanders are smart” and know if a political party is just selling an agenda.

However, if politicians were to acknowledge the “short-term pain” of asset sales – while spruiking positives such as debt reduction, smaller class sizes, reduced waiting times at hospitals and more public transport – people would more likely buy into it.

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Dr Mortimer said anything could be sold to people – even asset sales – despite the negative connotations drawn from efforts to do this in the past.

“It’s important for government to offer a balanced view and recognise that there may be some concerns that selling particular assets may lead to increasing privatisation and potentially increased costs of electricity and water and other things,” he said.

“But those risks are offset on the actual benefits which are paying down debt, better roads, reduced class sizes and better infrastructure.”

Dr Mortimer said medicine, education and transport were what mattered to Queenslanders and needed to be at the core of a marketing campaign to sell assets.

“(We need to) have our elected government officials really present a balanced ­argument and recognise people have some concerns (about asset sales) or there may be some risks of this particular strategy, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.”