The Impact of Energy Asset Privatisation on State Government Debt Management and Service Provision in Victoria and New South Wales

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to look at the impact of the privatisation of the electricity and gas industries in the state of Victoria on the level of state government debt and subsequent ability of the state to deliver public services in the areas of health, education and law and order. In order to undertake this, a comparison is made with the state of New South Wales (NSW), where the privatisation of the electricity industry was often debated during the 1990s and 2000s, but never undertaken. © 2011 The Author Australian Journal of Public Administration © 2011 National Council of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.