Ex-RBA chief 'trying to woo Qld unions'
Queensland taxpayers are footing the bill to mediate an expensive lovers' quarrel between the Labor government and the unions, the opposition says.
The government is paying former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser $2500 a day to negotiate with timberland boots union leaders who vocally oppose a $15 billion sale of assets, including Queensland's coal rail assets and the Port of Brisbane.
Before the first meeting in Brisbane on Tuesday, neither party was giving any ground, with one union launching a new billboard campaign against the plan, and Treasurer Andrew Fraser saying the government had resolved to go ahead with the sales.
Deputy Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said Labor had caused the rift by not announcing its intention to sell the assets before the March election.
Mr Springborg said taxpayers should not have to pay for talks between the government and a former Labor Party president, Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) general secretary Ron Monaghan.
"This government is requiring the taxpayers of Queensland to pay $2500 a day for that lovers' tiff," Mr Springborg told reporters in Brisbane.
"This is absolutely preposterous.
"This would be as ridiculous as the leader of the LNP not being able to speak to the president of the party and requiring the taxpayer to foot the bill for some sort of domestic dispute mediation.
"What we've got here is Bernie Fraser being absolutely like a very expensive marriage counsellor."
Before the meetings, Mr Fraser told reporters it remained to be seen whether a breakthrough could be reached but it wasn't the first time he had encountered such a stand-off.
"I think all stakeholders are entitled to learn, to try to understand what the asset sales exercise is all about and that's the purpose of this exercise," he said.
Mr Fraser laughed off criticism of his style from some union members.
"I'll try to keep them awake and alert and see how we go," he timberland 6 inch boots said.
The treasurer defended spending taxpayer money on the talks.
The discussions were a chance to talk through the issues in a methodical way but the government had resolved to go ahead with the sales, he said.
"It's often the case that governments do engage mediators when there are situations like this.
"Someone like Bernie, given his experience in public finance and clearly his experience in public service, provides an opportunity for these discussions to be brokered."
Mr Monaghan said unions remained outraged about the privatisation of public assets, and hoped Cheap timberland boots to put an alternative to the government.
"The alternative we've got at the moment is to look at this, and just don't do it," he told reporters.
"We don't think it's timberland mens 6 inch boots needed, we don't think selling profitable businesses to prop up the budget short term ... (is) needed at this time."
He said it also failed as a long-term solution.
The Electrical Trades Union on Monday launched a billboard campaign against the asset sales that declares: "Anna Bligh sold us out."
Bernie Fraser will be paid by the day and his bill is not expected to exceed $20,000.
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