Robson-On-Politics - 31 July 2007

Peters' May 14 '98 Auckland Airport give-away Budget

Lest We Forget!

TV3, the NZ Herald et al have been running hilarious stories about the NZ First Party leader claiming to be outraged that New Zealanders could lose control of our major city's monopoly aviation gateway to the world, Auckland International Airport Ltd.

I thought I would do a ten-second search on Hansard to see what the then Treasurer, one Winston Peters, said in his 1998 Budget Speech on behalf of the last National-NZ First government.

"Where non-strategic assets are concerned, New Zealanders must make a choice...We have low-returning funds locked up in businesses like airports and coal mines...Accordingly, we are negotiating with other local government shareholders to divest the Crown's ownership interest in Auckland International Airport...The government has also started the process of divesting the Crown's ownership interests in the coal mining State Owned Enterprise, Solid Energy."

http://www.vdig.net/hansard/content.jsp?id=62914

This isn't investment in start-up projects offering high-tech jobs

Most New Zealanders welcome the idea of foreign-based investors putting money into new start-up projects, especially if they offer high- paying job opportunities and new export opportunities.

But the tragedy of government policies in the 1980s and 1990s delivered hardly any exciting new investment in our country. What those lazy governments did instead was sell existing monopoly service-providers owned by all New Zealanders to new foreign dividend-seeking owners instead.

It was like a welfare transfer where the beneficiary lives overseas.

The new investors too often laid off Kiwi workers and under-invested in their new cash-cows. And the results - run-down telecommunications, a run-down rail network, a run-down national airline etc. put New Zealand businesses at a strategic disadvantage to overseas competitors leaving the Labour-Progressive Government to step-in and fix-up the mess.

If we do not know our history, we'll re-live it

It is hard for New Zealanders to plan for the future if they don't have a media which tells them where they have been, what our history is. The NZ First Party's history in regard to Auckland Airport is that foreign interests became dominant shareholders - not in 2007, but back in 1999.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1374

New Zealanders deserve to know that NZ First and United Future in 2007 will not say whether or not they will support a National- or a Labour-led government before polling day. All they do is outline a vague preference to support the biggest party in Parliament.

The risk in 2008 is that we will end up with a National-led administration by mistake, as happened in 1996 when the Left was not operating a united front but was instead indulging in brinkmanship within itself.

In the past seven days I read that a National-led government will sell down the Crown's shareholding in State Owned Enterprises such as Solid Energy - perhaps to 49% or 51% stakeholdings.

From an economic and constitutional perspective, that is even worse than the bad old 1990s' policy of selling the full 100% of Crown shareholdings because National's 2007 policy proposes to maintain taxpayers' financial risk in owning assets - while taking away all Ministerial responsibility or taxpayer control over the assets that we would partly own.

National's assets sale policy has gone from Dumb to Dumber and the record of NZ First and United is that they cannot be relied on to protect our national interests.

Progressive governments must respect citizens

After winning three consecutive elections, our government must show New Zealanders how our policies - more annual paid holidays, a Kiwi-owned bank, regional economic development, standing with families against the drug-pusher gangs, extensions to paid parental leave, higher and higher minimum wages, lower medical and education fees, more expansive financial rewards to working families including a jump-start toward retirement savings and getting into a first home - truly respect the interests and expectations of the majority.

Some of the news this past week has highlighted that some are taking their eye off the ball, off the really important issues. A former Minister was the epitome of ungraciousness and disrespect to voters.

What we need more of in the countdown to Election Day is more respect for people and less ungracious, disrespectful arrogance.

The Labour-Progressive government has for eight years delivered policies which have expanded the opportunities and aspirations of a majority of families - whereas the Right Wing parties led by National continue to represent the interests of a minority elite.

The minority elite that would benefit from strategic asset sales. The minority elite that would benefit disproportionately more from across-the-board reductions in income tax rates. The minority elite that want to weaken working peoples' employment rights. The minority elite that would rather pay less tax than properly fund education and health services that benefit all.

The minority elite that do not really care about lifting the bar, raising our sights as a society and standing proud as a nation - but care mainly about their own short-term financial position, even if it means deferring investment in urgent social need.

Progressive-minded people have a role to contribute to protecting New Zealanders from the strife that National and its allies represent.

Auckland party members can help - I hope to see you at the Auckland Regional Progressive Party Conference (Buddhist Community Centre, 40 Eaglehurst Road, Saturday August 25, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.) in what will be the start of our efforts to promote issues we want to publicly debate in Auckland next year. (Contact kwadvocacy@ihug.co.nz ).

Tribute to Rod MacDiarmid

On Saturday, Jim Anderton spoke for all Progressive Party members in expressing our deep sadness at the loss of our long-time friend, Rod MacDiarmid. Rod was an inspiring
and very special person who made an enormous contribution to whatever he turned his mind to and he turned his mind and energy to a vast range of activities from new trends in horticulture to progressive policies in education, employment and training. He was a great New Zealander.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=30177

ENDS

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