In days that now seem long, long gone, your list of public utilities had the old familiars of those providers of your water, your electricity, gas and the humble fixed-line telephone.
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But thanks to the blind commitment of state governments over the years to privatisation, most notable under the Kennett years in Victoria in the 1990s, these are no more.
There’s no SEC, no Gas and Fuel Corporation and Telstra bares little structural resemblance to its old guises as Telecom and as one half of the PMG.
It means that as essential as these things are, the way they are run is centred on making a profit. What was supposed to deliver cheaper prices through greater competition has gone dramatically in other direction.
This era of seemingly unregulated corporate greed resulting in escalating utility prices and, in turn, increasing cost of living pressures has created an inevitable, unfortunate spill-over.
A clear example is the situation now besetting what in these times is perhaps our most essential public need – being able to feed ourselves, our families and our communities.
It is of great concern that Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare is facing a financial dilemma of its own.
This week it has gone public with a plea for at least $50,000 to ensure food can be provided to the region’s needy.
If it doesn’t get the cash, services could be cut.
The immediate impact is that people who need help most might miss out and with that comes the flow-on effect to so many other parts of a healthy, functioning community.
The problem has reached the stage where, as chairman Greg Hardham explained, that an appeal has been made directly to the Victorian government.
It is difficult to believe that government does not already assist FoodShare given the highly essential nature of what it carries out in the Border region.
That is a tribute to the excellent work that FoodShare does, but a sharp slap to the wrist of government.
It must find the money.
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