Lake Keepit privatisation fears

The government has quietly sounded out private operaters to "lease" eight of the camps across NSW.

For the last 15 years, arts coordinator Diane Hall has spent three to five weeks at the Lake Keepit Sport and Recreation Centre.

“It's the only place I've got, so if we lose that because it becomes too expensive, I don't know what I will do,” Ms Hall said.

“It's convenient, ticks all the boxes for safety, the staff are great. It suits all the needs I have for the camps I run.

“I would miss it terribly if it became unusable for any reason – including money.”

Ms Hall said the Lake Keepit centre, like many other regional Sport and Recreation Centres, was the only facility of its type in the local region.

“In the city there is plenty of choice, but you don't get choice in the country,” she said.

Professor Brian Dollery, from University of New England's Centre for Local Government, said privatising the Lake Keepit facility would be a classic case of the government “conferring a monopoly”. 

“Typically in country areas, there is less competition – you might have only one provider or at best a handful,” Professor Dollery said.

Generally, the big perk of privatisation is increased efficiency, but if there is no competition “prices might go up considerable and the efficiency might not”.

“People don't have the choice to go else where,” Professor Dollery said.

“There is no incentive to increase efficiency and every incentive to increase prices.”

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said stakeholders, including staff, were already being consulted and would continue to be consulted during the process.