May Day Rally 2008 @ Darling Harbour

This is the blog’s 200th post and also the first online video that we have produced.

This clip is a recording of the protest against the Labor State government for privatising electricity in New South Wales (NSW). Held on 3 May 2008 outside the Darling Harbour Convention Centre, the speakers of the rally included politicians such as John Kayes of the Greens who is a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC).

Earlier this year in February, about 12,000 people are reported to have protested outside the State Parliament House against the state’s decision to do so (ABC news, 2008). Despite being voted against the sell-off of 702 to 107, NSW Morris Iemma has went ahead with his plans (Carty, L 2008). Treasurer Michael Costa is also at the centre of the storm of controversy for convincing ‘Iemma that privatising power is the way to go’ (Sydney Morning Herald, 2008).

The Greens have criticized against this privatization effort because private power can contribute to global warming, cause lost of jobs due to restructuring and increase costs of electricity to consumers (Kaye, J 2008).

- Works Cited -

1. ‘Thousands protest outside NSW Parliament’, ABC News, 26 February 2008, accessed 10 May 2008.

2. Carty, L 2008, ‘Lights out for Labor faithful in power debate’, Sydney Morning Herald, 4 May, accessed 10 May 2008.

3. ‘Iemma loses privatization vote’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 May 2008, accessed 10 May 2008.

4. Kaye, J 2008, Background to Electricity Privatisation, John Kaye’s MLC homepage, accessed 10 May 2008.