Of all the weasel words available to politicians, one phrase appears to be particularly in vogue. The use of ''no plans'' is infecting the political discourse and the disease is especially bad in NSW. The rot began before last year's election, when in late 2010 the Herald ran a front page story revealing that the then opposition roads spokesman Andrew Stoner, who was in line to become deputy premier, favoured time-of-day tolling to reduce congestion.

The Labor government leapt on the disclosure, but Stoner quickly turned to his defence: the Coalition had ''no plans'' to introduce a congestion charge, he stressed.

Then about a month before the election, then opposition leader Barry O'Farrell told the Lithgow Mercury: ''We have absolutely no plans to privatise either the [electricity] generators or the poles and wires''

Next came the Energy and Resources Minister, Chris Hartcher, who last year was pressed on reports the government was looking at overturning the 26-year ban on uranium exploration in NSW. Hartcher told the Herald the idea had merit, but when pressured by the opposition, told Parliament the government had ''no plans'' to legislate.

How have those declarations stood the test of time? Not very well at all as it turns out.

We all know that following recommendations of the Tamberlin inquiry into power generation in NSW, the O'Farrell government said it would put the state's electricity generators up for sale. O'Farrell has been denying he broke an election promise ever since.

In February, the Premier announced cabinet had agreed to overturn the ban on uranium exploration in NSW.He said the move was prompted by the federal Labor government's decision to change its mind on exporting uranium to India. The thinking was that NSW would be mad to miss out on the potential economic benefits.

And last month, at the release of the government's draft transport masterplan, the Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, confirmed it was thinking of introducing distance-based tolling and higher charges for parking in the CBD to reduce congestion at particular times.

The document stated distance-based tolling was ''a way of raising revenue for new infrastructure and/or lessening congestion''. Confronted with the proposition that the CBD parking proposal was a de facto congestion charge, Gay denied it.

It's no huge revelation that our politicians tell white lies. But they will only be encouraged to do so unless they are called out on it.

''No plans'' is nothing but a convenient way to avoid being straight with the public and heading off potential political attacks. It might serve the politicians well, but it insults the public and needs to be eradicated.

Which brings us to last week's report by Infrastructure Australia into asset sales to funding public works.

The federal government's infrastructure body published a $220 billion wish list of asset sales in the states and territories.

For NSW, the stand outs were the publicly-owned utility, Sydney Water, and the Snowy Hydro, which is jointly owned by the NSW and other governments.

It came not long after the state's own infrastructure adviser, Infrastructure NSW, listed the Snowy Hydro as a possible asset sales target. The earlier commission of audit by Kerry Schott and David Gonski had said the ''options and appetite to divest the public ownership'' of Snowy Hydro should be reviewed.

Asked whether it would consider offloading either asset following the Infrastructure Australia report, a spokesman for O'Farrell said this: ''We have no plans to do either.''

Should we believe him? On past form, probably not.

No Plans To Ditch These Weasel Words