Hon Jim Anderton

Member of Parliament for Wigram
Progressive Leader

Now NZ Post on the block

8 June 2010 Media Statement

Desperation to sell something or anything is the only way to explain the prime ministers’ declaration that Kiwibank won’t be sold but NZ Post might be, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.

“The Prime Minister is now once again saying Kiwibank won’t be sold while he is leader.
He has made that declaration before and then forgotten about it, so there is every reason to suspect he will go back on his word again. Plainly, his political commitments mean little to the prime minister.

“In making his statement about Kiwibank today, Mr Key announced on radio that it is ‘technically’ or ‘theoretically’ possible that NZ Post will be sold.

“That’s like being technically or theoretically pregnant. Either National is going to sell NZ Post or it isn’t.

“Mr Key is using sneaky language. He should simply say National won’t sell NZ Post. It does a good job in pubic ownership.

“Rural communities in particular will lose their services or they will cost more if John Key sells NZ Post.”

Jim Anderton is also asking whether the Reserve Bank and Treasury will correct the PM’s statement that Kiwibank has an implicit government guarantee.

“When I made a statement that politics would mean a government is unlikely to allow Kiwibank to fail, the Reserve Bank issued a statement clarifying that there is no government guarantee.

“The watchdog is applying a different standard to the prime minister by refusing to make the same clarification today,” Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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