Will NSW panda to China? Let's hope so.

O'Farrell should expect interest from one or more of the PRC's five largest power companies, all State Owned Enterprises, including:

• China Datang Corporation and its subsidiary, Datang International Power Generation Company

• China Guodian Corporation("Guodian") and its subsidiary, GD Power Development Company(owns generation assets in Myanmar and plans on building a hydro plant in Cambodia)l

• China Huadian Group and its subsidiary, Huadian Power International

• China Huaneng Group and its subsidiary, Huaneng Power International(owner of generation assets in Singapore , the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Mexico, the Philippines and who'd have thought? On Queensland's Darling Downs);

• China Power Investment Corporation and its subsidiary, China Power International Development

The Koreans and the Japanese will no doubt also express interest. And we should welcome that. As may the sovereign wealth funds of the United Arab Emirates, Norway and Singapore.

But there should be no misunderstanding as to the first duty of the NSW government. It is to look after the economic interests its citizens. Pure and simple.

There are several ways to accomplish this, but key amongst these is to maximize the proceeds of any sale of what can be established to be a non core asset while simultaneously not losing sight of the fundamental principle that a high price should at times be sacrificed at the alter of Consolidated Revenue in order to increase, or at least not decrease, competition in the market under consideration.

Dim sum Mr. Premier?