MORE than a dozen people converged on Central Park on Wednesday at a Labor rally against the partial privatisation of the NSW electricity network.
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Regional electricity network Essential Energy would remain wholly state owned under Premier Mike Baird's plan to lease 49 per cent of the network businesses, colloquially known as the poles and wires.
But other regional distributors, such as AusGrid and Endeavour Energy, will be leased for 99 years along with 100 per cent of TransGrid.
Mr Baird argues such a move is needed to help pay for essential infrastructure.
The plan is the main point of difference between the NSW Coalition and Labor.
On Wednesday, Northern Tablelands Labor candidate Debra O’Brien said Mr Baird’s rumoured meeting with the State Grid Corporation of China as a potential electricity buyer had caused community outrage.
“Everybody, from conservative people to farmers and greenies are against it [the partial privatisation],” Ms O'Brien told the rally.
She said the idea was pure ideology and left out concerns raised by the community.
“It’s all very well to say that it is going to bring in more funds, but ... when it is gone, it's gone," she said.
Voters go to the polls on Saturday, with Premier Baird tipped to win the state election.
