The Shadow Minister for Finance, Services and Property, Clayton Barr, was today joined at Kiama Service NSW Centre by concerned locals as they protested the government’s decision to appoint private providers to do the work of Service NSW.
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Kiama Service NSW Centre will be affected by the decision to allow international private corporates to deliver essential services in NSW.
“This will threaten the security of people’s personal information. Service NSW holds everyone’s intimate details – where they were born, where they live and what health conditions they have. This will now be in the hands of private companies who can use it to their own advantage” Mr Barr said.
“Prior to these changes, the people of Kiama could take comfort from the fact the government held their personal information tightly and securely.”
The Berejiklian government has claimed the appointment of the international companies does not necessarily mean they will privatise Service NSW.
“I cannot understand why the government would appoint seven private companies if they have no plan to outsource the work of Service NSW. It is clear this is a continuation of the Berejiklian government’s rapid privatisation agenda,” Mr Barr said.
In June, Mr Barr moved a disallowance motion in the NSW Parliament in an attempt to prevent the government from going ahead with their decision. The Member for Kiama opted to side with private providers and vote down the motion.
“When Gareth Ward was faced with the option of protecting his community or supporting private companies, he chose the latter. This just shows the Government and the local Member have no interest in supporting the rights of people in regional communities” Mr Barr said.
“The Member for Kiama is willing to question the motives of his government when it comes to forced council mergers but he is completely silent when it comes to the sale of his constituents’ personal information.”
“The member needs to pick up the phone to the premier and tell her that the people of Kiama are completely opposed with this plan. Their privatisation agenda is going too far,” Mr Barr said.
“I want to issue a challenge to the Member for Kiama – come out publicly and promise the people of Kiama that the government won’t be privatising Service NSW. Reassure them that their personal details will be safe and not available to private corporations.
“Sell, privatise, outsource and send offshore is the standard mantra of the Berejiklian government,” Mr Barr said.
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