Go Queensland: The thing that unites us

ASSET sales - Queenslanders are united in their resistance but it may be the most viable option to get the state out of debt. Vote in our poll.

• Queensland economy: Assets sales would make billions, jobs
• Queensland economy: Bernard Salt’s report on Queensland

REGARDLESS of age, address or political predilection, Queenslanders are steadfastly opposed to selling or leasing state-owned assets to fund necessary infrastructure.

New polling, undertaken exclusively for The Courier-Mail’s GoQLD campaign, has revealed privatisation of power, port and transport ­assets remains political poison.

Queensland economy: Bernard Salt’s report on Queensland

#GoQld: More Go Queensland articles

While the NSW Government is powering ahead funding projects with the proceeds of asset sales, Queensland’s past two elections have demonised the option to reduce the state’s $74 billion debt.

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Conducted by respected pollsters Galaxy Research, the result shows 57 per cent of Queenslanders are opposed to selling or leasing assets to buy others, while just one in three are in support and 10 per cent are undecided.

Resistance to asset sales transcended respondents’ voting intention, generation and geographical location, with ­opposition across the spectrum.

Labor supporters were the most ardent objectors, with 65 per cent opposed, compared with 27 per cent who backed asset sales.

Despite the LNP’s pro-­privatisation ethos, only 49 per cent of its voters were in favour, while 42 per cent were against and 9 per cent ­uncommitted.

The poll found 52 per cent of southeast Queensland ­residents were against asset sales, while opposition was stronger in the rest of the state – at 65 per cent.

A majority were against privatisation across the age groups, with Generation-X the toughest critics at 60 per cent, followed by 56 per cent for the young Gen-Ys and 53 per cent for Baby Boomers.

The fervent opposition to asset sales has made it fertile ground for both sides of politics to oppose privatisation when it has been undertaken by their opponents.

The LNP ridiculed the Bligh government’s sell-off of tolls roads, railways, ports and forests before the 2012 election and Labor was annihilated to just seven seats.

Labor spruiked about protecting the profits of power companies to pay down debt when the Newman government sought and failed to achieve a mandate to sell and lease assets last year.

Unions have fine-tuned their anti-asset sales crusade over both elections, with a scare campaign about the ­impact on power prices central to their claims, despite the rapid rise in costs under public ownership.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk remains unwavering in her opposition, however LNP Leader Lawrence Springborg has toyed with the idea.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad said Labor made a clear commitment at last year’s election and would not sell assets.

“(NSW Premier) Mike Baird providing 99-year leases for important state entities like electricity is how he is funding his capital works ­project,” she said.

“Now the proposition around asset sales have been put to Queenslanders at two state elections and the result has been clear.”