23 November 2011

Asset sales would be a victory for ideology over experience

The Green Party has stepped up their campaign against National’s plan to sell our state assets, saying it makes no economic sense and will repeat the privatisation mistakes of the 1990s.

“The Green Party is committed to doing everything it can to stop state asset sales. We will use whatever power the New Zealand public gives us to keep our assets kiwi,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“National is repeating their privatisation mistakes of the 1990s. They are planning to sell these assets when the global market is depressed and when they are likely to start returning significantly higher dividends.

“National plans to repeat this mistake; it is a victory of ideology over experience.”

The Green Party is challenging John Key to release all Government documents on the asset sales plan in light of the Treasury and Ombudsmen refusing an official request for the information.

“I am issuing a firm challenge to John Key: Instruct Treasury to release the information we are requesting. Show us your plans,” said Dr Norman.

“If John Key is so certain of the National Party’s asset sale plans, then he should have no hesitation releasing this information to the public. If he refuses, then he has something to hide.”

The Green Party has released plans to unleash the clean energy potential of our state assets to build a richer New Zealand.

“A core part of our package to create 100,000 green jobs is using our state owned power companies strategically to take advantage of the clean energy revolution that is sweeping the world – if we sell them we will lose this opportunity.

“The more Green MPs New Zealand has after the election, the better chance we have of keeping our assets in public hands.

“The Greens will be a constructive force building a new green economic future for our public assets in the next three years. Voters on Saturday will determine how strong we are.

Dr Norman’s speech:
http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/dr_russel_norman_state_asset_sale_speech_november_23_2011.pdf

ENDS

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