Clayton
COSGROVE
SOEs Spokesperson

29 August 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Just one vote stops bill to protect state assets
National’s rejection of a Labour bill to raise the barriers to selling state assets shows the Government still has the likes of KiwiBank, KiwiRail and TVNZ lined up on the block for sale, says the bill’s author, Labour’s SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.

“My bill had a simple proposition. Ensure that no state asset can be sold without a national referendum or support of three-quarters of Parliament. That protects our assets for the future and ensures the voice of the people is heard.

“The Protecting Strategic Assets Bill lost by just one vote. National and its support partners have rejected this bill, ensuring that KiwiBank, TVNZ, New Zealand Post and many others remain seriously at risk. There can only be one reason for opposing the bill – they want to sell more assets.

“I am particularly disappointed in Peter Dunne, who pledged to prevent the sale of KiwiBank and Radio New Zealand. Supporting the State Owned Enterprises and Crown Entities (Protecting New Zealand’s Strategic Assets) Amendment Bill was the perfect opportunity to ensure those assets and others, remain in our hands.

“The Government’s asset sales plan is causing anger up and down the country, with petitions for a referendum attracting tens of thousands of signatures. The Government’s insistence on selling our assets, despite overwhelming opposition and a terrible market is exactly what the Bill was meant to stop.”

ENDS

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