PPP projects in England Scotland, Canada and NSW: A Comparative Study

Sally Edsall
Research Officer
New South Wales Teachers Federation

This report begins with an explanation of the PFI process in England and Scotland, based on meetings and interviews with most of the key players, which took place in January 2003.

The second section of this report deals with P3s in two provinces of eastern Canada: Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia was the first Canadian province to introduce P3s (and amongst the first jurisdictions in the world). New Brunswick is in the early stages. Nova Scotia has shown the benchmark for How Not To do a PPP process. P3s have now ceased in that province after the disasters that ensued.

The third section looks at the NSW PPP in schools program. A brief outline of the project is followed by the campaigning strategies used, many of which drew on the knowledge gained from studying PPPs in both the UK and Canada, and some of the key elements of the contract. Where matters in NSW differ significantly, or are of equal importance to matters in the areas studied, I have drawn attention to that in the sections relating to the UK and Canada.

Finally, I have made some recommendations which the Teachers Federation and other bodies may wish to consider in order to continue the campaign.

While it is true that several of the worst aspects of PPP were overcome in NSW through campaigning efforts, after all the technocratic objections are dealt with, the ideology of privatisation remains. I formed the view through involvement and study of PPPs in the places visited, and the United States (where they take a different form again) that the privatisers are prepared to co-operate with these minor restrictions as a form of �loss leadership�, in the same way as supermarkets discount a few popular commodities. The private financiers and corporations specialising in supplying outsourced services are looking to the longer term when they will not be so restricted. The security of an income stream from a stable government means there will be no risk to investors, and all the prospects of a bright future if these schemes become the norm, and the boundaries can be pushed even further.

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FULL REPORT : PPP projects in England,Scotland, Canada and NSW

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