Opposition
pledge to delay asset-sale process
Opposition
parties are planning to propose hundreds of amendments to delay
Government legislation which would allow for the partial sell off of
state owned assets.
TVNZ,
14
June, 2012
The
Government is pressing ahead with its asset sales plans after it was
given a second reading and was passed by politicians, 61 votes to 59
yesterday.
The
bill now goes to committee stage, where opposition parties are
planning on proposing hundreds of amendments to delay debate.
Green
MP Gareth Hughes is urging everyone to sign a petition calling for a
referendum on the issue, which needs about 300,000 signatures.
The
Greens claim their Keep Our Assets petition has gathered 30,000
signatures since it was launched five weeks ago, but the Prime
Minister is resisting calls to hold a referendum.
They
have written to the leaders of all the other political parties asking
them to support an amendment to the Bill which would prohibit any
sales, if the legislation is passed, until after a citizen-initiated
referendum.
The
Mixed Ownership Model Bill will allow the sale of up to 49% of
electricity companies Mighty River Power (MRP), Meridian Energy, and
Genesis Energy, and coal-miner Solid Energy.
The
first shares to go on sale, in Mighty River Power, are set to be
offered in the next 16 weeks.
Kiwis
'have spoken' - John Key
John
Key said yesterday it is not necessary to hold a referendum as Kiwis
were able to have their say about whether they supported the plan at
the election.
"National
won with the biggest result it's ever had in MMP history and Labour
had the worst result in MMP history so the people of New Zealand have
spoken," he said.
Hughes
rejected Government claims it had a mandate to sell assets because it
won last year's election.
Labour's
SOE spokesman Clayton Cosgrove called for a u-turn on the asset sales
policy yesterday.
"They
did it with education. They should do it with assets," he told
Parliament. "Even if they get one away, the people of New
Zealand have the opportunity to stop them on the second, and the
third, and the fourth."
The
issue provoked fiery exchanges in the debating chamber. New Zealand
First leader Winston Peters claimed it was "about treason, it's
about treachery, it's about betrayal".
But,
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce insisted "the
National led Government is committed to getting on top of debt,
protecting and growing our economy".
He
stressed the legislation requires the Government to retain a 51%
controlling shareholding, claiming the policy would "help
control debt, increase savings, strengthen capital markets, and help
get New Zealand through the worst economic times in nearly a
century."
Around
100 people gathered outside Parliament yesterday afternoon to voice
their opposition to the Government's plan.
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