4 March 2013

National show contempt for public with assets sales push

National’s plan to sell Mighty River Power before Kiwis can have their say in the asset sales referendum displays a contempt for the New Zealand public, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

Prime Minister John Key today unveiled the Government's plans for the sale of Mighty River Power.

“The decision to push ahead with its asset sales agenda is part of an ideologically-driven agenda to sell our assets no matter what,” said Dr Norman.

“John Key is ignoring the wishes of those New Zealanders who overwhelmingly oppose asset sales – 400,000 of whom have taken the time to sign the Keep Our Assets petition.

“The Prime Minister is always willing to listen to the concerns of SkyCity Casino but seems unwilling to listen to millions of New Zealanders.

“Only 5% of Kiwis are expected to buy shares, with the vast majority of New Zealanders gaining nothing from the sale except the likelihood of higher power prices in the future.

“Listing on the Australian stock exchange shows the talk of ‘mum and dad’ Kiwi investors is also rubbish.

“There’s nothing in John Key’s asset sales plan that would stop shares from going offshore.

“In fact, Treasury advised the Government to facilitate foreign buyers to create ‘pricing tension’ – that is, force up the price for New Zealand investors.

“The bonus share ‘give away’ to those Kiwis able to afford buying shares could end up costing all taxpayers untold millions.

“This asset sales program is about a transfer of wealth from the public of New Zealand to private interests.

“The Government should wait for the wait for the referendum on asset sales and listen to the results,” Dr Norman said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

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Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

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Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

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