Aboslutely, Mr Mac. I agree that they have to make their money but it is the deception that is galling.
I also lay the blame on the govt that did the privatisation. They wanted to pretend that you could keep prices down by setting an unrealistic control. This was usual of govts as they said they wanted to privatise but then they also wanted to control and show themselves to be 'looking out' for the punter. Consequently, rental from shopping space became the big earner and, no surrprise, the corporates had to find ways of coming up with the cash.
Since all that happened 30 years ago - the media have 'forgotten' what was done. But, of course, not much will change.