Next steps in mixed ownership programme
Hon Bill English
Minister of
Finance
Hon Tony
Ryall
Minister for State Owned
Enterprises
15 December 2011
Media Statement
Next steps in
mixed ownership programme
The Government has confirmed the next steps in its mixed ownership programme to offer New Zealanders minority shareholdings in four state-owned energy companies and Air New Zealand.
Cabinet has agreed that Mighty River Power should be the first company prepared for an initial public offering (IPO), most likely in the third quarter of 2012, subject to market conditions, Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall said today.
“Cabinet has taken initial decisions to proceed with the mixed ownership programme, as we promised New Zealanders before the election,” they said.
“The Government has previously set a number of tests – including retaining majority Government control and significant participation by New Zealand investors who will be at the front of the queue for shares. The Treasury confirms these tests can be met.
“The programme is likely to involve a number of IPOs spread over the next three years or so. Their timing will depend on market conditions and company circumstances.
“Ministers’ initial decisions will allow Treasury to proceed with preparing the mixed ownership programme. More detailed decisions about the precise structure and timing of the programme, including the Mighty River IPO, will be made early in 2012.”
This week, Cabinet has:
• Agreed in principle
to proceed with the mixed ownership model.
• Agreed
that Mighty River Power should be the first company prepared
for an IPO, most likely in the third quarter of 2012,
subject to market conditions.
• Agreed that decisions
about share allocations will be made early next year during
the design phase of the IPO.
• Agreed to consult with
Maori in early 2012.
• Agreed that legislation will be
required to support the mixed ownership programme –
including removing the four mixed ownership energy companies
– Mighty River Power, Genesis, Meridian and Solid Energy -
from the State Owned Enterprises Act.
“Our advice is that Mighty River Power is ready to go to the market.
“We will provide more detailed information on this IPO – including how widespread New Zealand ownership will be achieved - when detailed decisions have been made in early 2012,” Mr English and Mr Ryall said.
“This will include releasing supporting documents when this no longer prejudices the commercial position of the IPO.”
The ministers reiterated the Government has made three clear promises to New Zealanders about mixed ownership companies:
• The Government will retain at least
51 per cent control.
• New Zealanders will be at the
front of the queue for shares and ministers expect New
Zealand ownership will be around 85-90 per cent.
• No
shareholder other than the Government will be able to own
more than about 10 per cent.
“The mixed ownership programme involves less than 3 per cent of taxpayers’ total assets of $245 billion, which will grow by another $22 billion over the next four years,” Mr English and Mr Ryall said. “So this is about how we pay for increasing those assets – it’s not about reducing them.
“The
alternative is a lot more debt, which would need to be
borrowed on nervous global financial markets at a time when
many other countries are struggling with too much
debt.
“Mixed ownership is a win-win. With about $100
billion sitting in term deposits, along with many billions
of dollars more in KiwiSaver funds, other investment funds
and iwi investments, New Zealanders are placed strongly to
invest in the mixed ownership companies.
“It’s an opportunity for New Zealanders to invest in something other than housing or finance companies. And it will free up taxpayers’ money so the Future Investment Fund can invest in priority new assets like schools, hospitals and irrigation, without having to borrow from overseas lenders.
“It will also improve the efficiency of the mixed ownership companies, while the Government retains majority control.”
Treasury background
document available at:
www.comu.govt.nz/publications/information-releases/mixed-ownership-model/
MIXED OWNERSHIP PROGRAMME
– Qs AND As
Why is Mighty River
Power the first Initial Public Offering?
Mighty
River Power is well positioned to take to market. It is also
big enough to offer a significant volume of shares to the
investing public, while the Government retains a majority
stake of at least 51 per cent.
What will happen
next?
Cabinet has made several decisions that
will kick off the process. It has agreed in principle to
implement legislation to allow the mixed ownership programme
to proceed, and Treasury has been given the go ahead to
start advertising for advisors to run the IPO process.
Cabinet has also announced the Government will consult with
Maori early in 2012. We will make final decisions on timing
and other details regarding the Mighty River Power offer
early next year.
What legislation will be
needed to implement the programme?
Legislation
will ensure the Government retains a minimum holding of 51
per cent in all mixed ownership companies and that no other
shareholder will be allowed to hold more than around 10 per
cent of each company. The four energy companies, Mighty
River Power, Genesis, Meridian and Solid Energy will be
removed from the State Owned Enterprises Act, and there will
be other amendments to implement the mixed ownership
programme.
What
restrictions have been placed on foreign investors owning
these companies?
The Government will always
retain at least 51 per cent of the mixed ownership companies
on behalf of all New Zealanders. In addition, no other
shareholder will be able to buy more than 10 per cent in all
cases. No further decisions have been made at this stage,
but ministers expect around 85-90 per cent New Zealand
ownership of the mixed ownership companies.
What guarantees can you give that foreign
investors won’t buy large stakes in these companies after
the IPOs?
Firstly, no shareholder – other than
the Government – can hold more than 10 per cent of any
mixed ownership company. There will be some foreign
ownership of these companies, but all the evidence points to
the vast bulk of the shares remaining in New Zealand hands.
Experience from previous initial public offerings by the
Government - including Contact Energy and Auckland
International Airport - suggests that widespread and
substantial New Zealand ownership can be achieved and
maintained across the SOEs. KiwiSaver funds, other
investment funds and iwi are all traditionally longer-term
investors.
How will you ensure that New
Zealanders are at the front of the queue for
shares?
The Government will control the
allocation of shares and decisions supporting that will be
considered early next year.
How confident are you that small New
Zealand shareholders will buy shares?
We want
small New Zealand investors to buy the vast bulk of the
shares and ministers expect that around 85-90 per cent of
the mixed ownership shares – including the Government’s
controlling stake – will be held by New Zealanders. Many
investors lost money in collapsed finance companies and this
will be an opportunity to invest in this country's future.
Scoping studies show a significant proportion of experienced
shareholders are keen to buy.
With about $100 billion
sitting in cash deposits, along with many billions of
dollars more in KiwiSaver funds, other investment funds and
iwi investments, New Zealanders are strongly placed to
invest in the mixed ownership companies. Selling shares
through IPOs will enable all New Zealanders to apply for
shares.
Why are you announcing the next
steps before Christmas?
Officials need to
appoint advisors and lead managers to start the due
diligence process now so they can meet timeframes for the
sales programme. The Treasury will be using open,
competitive appointment processes which can take some time
to complete.
Why are you pressing ahead with
the mixed ownership programme when a number of New
Zealanders have voiced reservations about
it?
The National-led Government has been open
and transparent about its proposal to extend the mixed
ownership model – used successfully for Air New Zealand
for almost a decade – to four state-owned energy
companies. We’ve been talking about this issue since
January and we said we would put this and other policies to
voters at the election, before proceeding if we were
re-elected. That’s precisely what we’re now doing.
We believe the mixed ownership programme, which is quite
different to the state asset sales of the 1980s and 1990s,
will be popular among New Zealand investors, who will be at
the front of the queue for shares.
What will you be consulting with Maori
about and how long will the process take?
The
Government intends to consult with Maori on the mixed
ownership model policy early next year - before introducing
legislation and the first IPO. It will take place at a
series of meetings across the country. Consultation will not
cover specific investment opportunities.
Will Maori enjoy any special treatment
in the sales process?
The Government has
promised New Zealand investors will be at the front of the
queue by providing them with priority share allocations That
promise applies to all New Zealand investors – including
Maori.
When will New Zealanders be able to
buy shares?
The Mighty River Power IPO is most
likely to happen in the third quarter of 2012, subject to
market conditions. Cabinet will consider that and other
details around the structure and timing of the mixed
ownership programme in early 2012.
How much
do you expect from the Mighty River Power share
sale?
We’ve said we expect between $5 billion
and $7 billion over three to five years across the whole
mixed ownership programme. In terms of Mighty River Power,
we want to get a good deal for New Zealand investors – and
for New Zealand taxpayers – and that depends on advisors
completing work in the New Year, once they are
appointed.
Given, the
turbulent situation on overseas financial markets, why go
ahead with a mixed ownership programme?
The
precise timing of individual IPOs will depend on market
conditions. More broadly, mixed ownership will help lift New
Zealand’s economic performance by increasing the incentive
for the SOEs to perform well. It will also reduce the amount
of extra debt the Government will need to borrow from
foreign lenders to pay for new assets, at a time when global
markets are increasingly worried about lending to heavily
indebted countries.
Are
there examples where mixed ownership already
applies?
Yes, there are many examples overseas
and several in New Zealand.
• Air New Zealand -
the Government owns a majority 74 per cent in Air New
Zealand and other investors own the remaining 26 per
cent.
• Port of Tauranga - 55 per cent is owned by Environment Bay of Plenty on behalf of the people of the Bay of Plenty, and the rest by other investors. New Zealand investors own more than half of the free-trading shares and their equity is increasing.
• Horizon Energy - 77.3 per cent is owned by the Eastern Bay Energy Trust on behalf of people in the Bay of Plenty, with 13 per cent owned by South Island-based Marlborough Lines and the rest by other investors.
• Vector - 75.1 per cent
is owned by the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust on behalf of
the company’s electricity customers in Auckland, Manukau
and parts of Papakura. The remaining 24.9 per cent is owned
by individual shareholders and institutions.