Power sell off raises $3 billion, unleashes feral animal hunt

The next phase of the NSW power privatisation is expected to raise A$3 billion after the State Government made a deal with the minority Shooters Party, which backed the sell-off in the parliament’s Upper House in exchange for regulations which would allow hunters to shoot feral animals in national parks.
NSW will sell its state-owned power generators, comprising power stations at Lithgow, the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast. Only the poles and wires will remain in public hands after the previous government raised $5 billion from selling off state owned retailers and distributors.
The Government says the sale will not only raise $3 billion to invest in state infrastructure, but will save almost $7 billion in maintenance and generation costs.
The deal with the Shooters Party has been strongly criticised in NSW, but it now seems a fait accompli that the enabling legislation will pass the lower house of the parliament.