ERGON Energy depots in the North West will likely be closed as the government continues to indicate it will push ahead with large-scale privatisation, according to the Electrical Trades Union.
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The ETU seized on comments by Treasurer Tim Nicholls this week as evidence the government would push ahead with large-scale privatisation and closures of Ergon depots in regional and remote Queensland.
Mr Nicholls said no decision had been made, but options were being considered.
``Ergon is one of the companies where we have said we are actually looking at private sector investment - the state owning or retaining ownership,'' he said.
``Ergon, Energex and Powerlink are three businesses where we have said that it is our view that we should be retaining ownership of those businesses, but we should be looking for opportunities for the private sector to invest to help meet some of the costs of the network.''
However, a spokesperson for Mr Nicholls said ``the government ruled out selling Ergon and Energex a year ago''.
ETU state organiser Stuart Traill said the Treasurer had ``let the cat out of the bag. They have been extremely quiet about the issue of depot closures following the huge community backlash last year''.
Longreach Mayor Joe Owens said the government must leave Ergon depots alone.
``Any privatisation or cutbacks of those depots I think would be a backward step completely,'' he said.
Mr Traill said the issue of the future of Ergon depots had been bubbling away with the reduction of 1660 staff across the industry since the LNP took office.
?Traill said the government was preparing to abandon bush communities to the whim of the private sector, a decision that will leave many isolated communities at severe risk.
``Our information shows that there are more than 30 depots at risk,'' Mr Traill said.