Michael Costa

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For the Italian-English conductor, see Michael Costa (conductor)

Michael Costa (born 15 July 1956) is an Australian politician and currently the Treasurer of New South Wales. He currently represents the Australian Labor Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council. He lives in rural NSW and is a country member. [1]

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[edit] Early life and career

Costa was born in Newcastle to Greek Cypriot migrants who came to Australia in the 1950s [2].

In 1979, Costa dropped out of politics and began work as a rigger at the Garden Island naval dockyard. It was there where he was first involved with the Australian labour movement becoming a Delegate for the Federated Ironworkers' Association (now Australian Workers' Union). During this period he also studied at night at the University of Sydney.[citation needed]

In 1983, Costa started work as a trainee engineman, but never progressed to a Driver, and became active in the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginees AFULE (now the Rail, Tram and Bus Union). At the time the AFULE had a militant leadership who began a series of strikes over differences with the Australian Railways Union, whereby brake vans were removed from freight trains, and the guards were given locomotive jobs.Preferential treatment of the guards was seen by many as a reward for not striking over the loss of their jobs in brake vans.[citation needed] This led to Costa running against the incumbent leadership of the union in the AFULE's elections which Costa won convincingly.[citation needed]

In 1989, Costa was elected as an Organiser with the Labor Council of New South Wales. In 1998, he was elected as Secretary of the Labor Council. He was the first Secretary to be of a non English speaking background.

[edit] Political biography

Costa shifted to a political career in 2001, when he was appointed to the Legislative Council following the resignation of Johno Johnson, and was immediately made Minister for Police. Costa served as Police Minister from 21 November 2001 until 2 April 2003.

Costa served as Transport Services Minister from 2 April 2003 until 21 January 2005. He was also appointed as Minister for the Hunter, Minister Assisting the Minister for Natural Resources and Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development. The Transport portfolio was controversial during this time, mainly due to rail line closures and and the train driver dispute. Costa ordered the closure of the Murwillumbah line in April 2004 [3] and the near-closure of part of the Newcastle line. [4]

In 2004, train reliability was further affected by a train driver dispute. This mainly stemmed from a "shortage of fit drivers and an unauthorised overtime ban" by drivers. [5] Journalist Miranda Devine said that "So Costa has driven safety reform hard. But health and psychometric checks of drivers, random drug and alcohol testing and "data loggers" on trains, which can be used to monitor a driver's speed, have caused disquiet among workers." NSW Unions said of Costa and the rail executive that "There has been a total breakdown in goodwill between RailCorp and its workforce." [6]

Costa is credited with the bus reform policies pursued by the Government.[7] [8]

When Treasurer Michael Egan resigned unexpectedly in January 2005, Premier Bob Carr took the opportunity for a major reshuffle. Costa was subsequently shifted sideways to Roads and the minor portfolios of Ports and Economic Reform and replaced in Transport by John Watkins. Costa was Roads Minister between 21 January and 3 August 2005.

Following a cabinet reshuffle brought about by the resignation of Premier Carr in August 2005, Costa became the Minister for Finance and Infrastructure.

Costa was appointed Treasurer on 17 February 2006. His time as Treasurer was marked by his relationship with his Federal counterpart, Peter Costello, at a time when the state's economy had begun to contract, raising the spectre of a recession.[9]

[edit] Political views

Costa is seen as pro-economic development. The Sydney Morning Herald described him as:

There's no holding back from Costa when he advocates coalmining, aluminium smelters and the privatisation of the electricity industry. This is an unabashed supporter of economic considerations above all else, for public service reform and for not believing climate-change doomsayers. As he puts it: "I want to see economic prosperity. I make no apology for that"[10]

Costa has been described as the "State Government's leading climate change sceptic" mainly because of his views supporting increasing capacity of smelters and power stations. [11]

In June 2007, during Question Time in the New South Wales Legislative Council, Costa referred to "idiots like Tim Flannery saying it'll never rain" and launched into a tirade against the theory of greenhouse gases and told caucus it should adopt a proposal that would allow big power users such as aluminium smelters to avoid the costs of meeting the Government's renewable energy targets to "save jobs in Newcastle and Wollongong". He also said he did not support Flannery being made 2007 Australian of the Year. [12]. Costa's full statement is as follows:

But the Greens and idiots like Tim Flannery said it will never rain. Well it has started to rain and it seems as though it is going to rain forever. These people do not understand climate cycles. When it comes to the climate they are alarmists and cannot see beyond the end of their noses. They create division, panic and fear so that they can rustle up a few naive people to vote for them at election time. Climates change. [13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Pedestrian Council : Costa 'out-and-proud'
  2. ^ http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/Members.nsf/5d65e8c599c38ed4ca256e7c001cd832/2fb1b8ff9d13f926ca256abf0020f1ae/$FILE/Costa.pdf
  3. ^ Costa spurns federal rail offer - National - www.smh.com.au
  4. ^ RailCorp reversal: now it's back to single-deck carriages - National - www.smh.com.au
  5. ^ Stateline NSW
  6. ^ The bitter stand-off ruining the railways - Miranda Devine - www.smh.com.au
  7. ^ Media Release - New Laws to Overhaul Bus Industry - NSW Ministry of Transport
  8. ^ Australasian Bus News - PSA media
  9. ^ NSW slides towards recession - Business - Business - smh.com.au
  10. ^ It's the economy, stupid: Costa's tough stand - National - smh.com.au
  11. ^ Costa joins push to lift smelter capacity - National - smh.com.au
  12. ^ Tim Flannery an idiot, says Costa - Environment - smh.com.au
  13. ^ Costa's climate jibe pure colour: Iemma - National - smh.com.au

[edit] External links

Parliamentary Website of Michael Costa