$100m for Lizards

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 pm, April 26th, 2012 - 26 comments
Categories: babies, Economy, education, health, Privatisation - Tags:

John Key and Bill English couldn’t find $150million over four years for increased parental leave that would hugely benefit future children. Horrors – we would have to borrow! They could find $100million or more  straight away to pay international investment bankers including  Australian branch of US-based  Lazard’s to advise on asset sales that robs our children’s future and that  nobody else wants.

It’s all a matter of priorities – for Bill and John, money comes first. Money gets money,  kids get nothing.

26 comments on “$100m for Lizards ”

  1. fustercluck 1

    Government of the Banksters, by the Banksters, and for the Banksters.

    • Richard 1.1

      The fee will be paid out of the sale price, so the idea it’s been “found” and is just kicking around the general kitty is (not unexpectedly) somewhat misleading. If you want to fund the paid parental leave expansion out of the sale price as well, I’m sure we could reach an amicable agreement, but the money is obviously not substitutable.

      Although you do accidentally raise the very good point that the government could probably do more good with the sale proceeds than what social benefit we get from holding minority shares in four competing power companies…

      But that couldn’t possibly be true.

      Also, it costs 100 million, because that’s what it costs. If the Government could do it cheaper, I’m sure they would, because it’s not like the government particularly likes bad headlines. Also, nebulous ideas of “bankers (damn you Tony Ryall!) looking out for their mates really doesn’t make a lot of sense unless you like conspiracy theories about shadowy organisations. Frankly if you’re going to be corrupt, it’s much better for the government to own these businesses, because then you get cushy jobs and chairmanships to dole out (see, NZPost), and can then use the businesses for political purposes. The worst nightmare for the left would be “ShonKey” nationalising these things: imagine what evil things he could do!

      Also I’m not an expert on how these transactions work (I assume they are very complicated, and finding buyers takes a lot of work), but to be honest 1.8% commission is a lot less than you pay real estate agents, or even Trademe, so it doesn’t seem like a bad deal, particularly for a complex transaction.

      • vto 1.1.1

        You are a fool Richard. New Zealand governments have built entire railways, thousands and thousand of state homes, an entire network of roads, a mammoth health system including countless hospitals, schools, universities, power stations, giant dams, bridges, airlines, the list goes on. The New Zealand government has done far more than any other entity ever in NZ fullstop.

        Yet you claim they cannot sell part of some SOEs and avoid the entire $100m cost? Do you think these asset sales even need a sales agent (and that is all they are)? Do you believe there will not be a queue at the door?

        foolish man

        • Richard 1.1.1.1

          I am amused at being called a fool by someone who clearly has no idea how underwriting works, and appears to substitute any critical faculties they possess with child-like name calling. Maybe do some Googling about what underwriting is, its role in privatisation, and think about why it may be that it costs so much.

          Or here’s a quick mental short cut: if employing an underwriter increases the money got for a sale by 3% (because they have huge amounts of experience, connections with potential buyers [of which their are thousands] and expertise in handling transactions of this nature [including, for example, the international legal regulatory requirements investors operate under]), then surely they have earned their 1.8% commission?

          Or maybe the Government should just get those people who built those hospitals (note: probably private companies these days) to do it for them? What could possibly go wrong?

          • felix 1.1.1.1.1

            “Also, it costs 100 million, because that’s what it costs. If the Government could do it cheaper, I’m sure they would, because it’s not like the government particularly likes bad headlines. “

            So what? It’d cost me $50 to set fire to a $50 note because that’s what it costs but it’s still a stupid fucking idea.

            “Also, nebulous ideas of “bankers (damn you Tony Ryall!) looking out for their mates really doesn’t make a lot of sense unless you like conspiracy theories about shadowy organisations.”

            Err, no. The idea of bankers looking out for their mates doesn’t make a lot of sense unless you know that banks exist.

            Don’t read too much into these things Richard.

          • vto 1.1.1.1.2

            Richard I am entirely familiar with the investment banking sector and have worked in exactly these things in the past. Underwriting is not necessary, clearly, if you think about it.

            Again, there is no need for a sales agent.

            $100million wasted. And nothing for the babies and mothers.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.2.1

              Underwriting is not necessary, clearly, if you think about it.

              Especially when the majority of people don’t want to sell.

          • locus 1.1.1.1.3

            100 million dollars for conveyancing =:o It’s a criminal act to sell off future New Zealanders’ birthright and the property of the nation, but it’s criminally insane to pay $100 million for the associated paperwork. It make me feel physically ill. Good grief, you could pay for a thousand homes to be built for that 1.8% ‘bargain’ service fee.

    • North 1.2

      Can you mind’s-eye Key engaged in the crucial stages of a deal ?

      Mean prick…..forget the smile and wave. He kill you if he hafta. Only him matter.

      We got a strange man for a PM !

  2. vto 2

    $100 million for the investment bankers but not $150 million for the babies and mothers.

    $400 million for the dairy farmers irrigation but not $150 million for the babies and mothers.

    $1,700 million for the finance company investors but not $150 million for the babies and mothers.

    $1,000 million every year for the upper income tax cuts but not $150 million for the babies and mothers.

    $15,000 for John Banks to vote for Sky City but nothing for the babies and mothers.

    $35 million loan for Minister Joyce’s previous business MediaWorks but nothing for the babies and mothers.

    .
    .
    .

    Thanks for sending me to bed sad and seriously annoyed. As Patrick Smellie (I think) said today, people are getting angry…

    Where are the politicians to stand up to this? Shearer, stop listening to your goons and get stuck in like a mongrel. Slacker.

  3. Moorhead 3

    Abusing people may seem the best option but Richard may not be a complete “fool”, perhaps he is just a little heartless; besides, you’ll need more than words to save your kid’s future now. The sad fact is that the game has changed and the “babies and mothers” are going to have to “harden up” as the entire country is on the brink of collapse and revolution. If you don’t see that and think it’s time for more payouts, then you are helping to make this easier for the Communist Party. This is Waitangi II and there will be no more hand outs until this sequel turns into a victory for the locals – asking for more grants and social welfare at this point is only weakening the cause. Check out the social welfare system in the so-called “Communist” state of China. Things are only going to get worse unless we pitch in and tighten our belts.

    • bad12 3.1

      ”Pitch in and tighten our belts”???for gods sake what emotive rubbish,those earning the top 50% of wages and salaries in this country have been given obscene tax cuts while those below the top 50% got progressively less,

      And you fucking tell us to tighten our fucking belts and slave for the masters all the fucking more,

      the only thing what needs fucking tightening round this place is a few of the ties around a few of the necks to the top of a few of the lampposts,

      Lets leave it hanging there so to speak shall we…

      [lprent: that would be wise. ]

    • Carol 3.2

      “babies and “mothers” – does that include you, Moorhead? Doesn’t sound like it. So glad for you, that you won’t be one of the ones to suffer first or most, especially without the rest of us pitching in to help.

      “heartless”? If some people have already lost so much of their empathy for the rest of humanity, maybe times REALLY will be that tough in the future?

    • framu 3.3

      “unless we pitch in and tighten our belts.”

      brilliant idea – so you would be in favour of reversing the tax cuts and stopping the sale of assets that return more than the interest owed on them then.

      as for the rest of your comment – WTF?!

    • locus 3.4

      the entire country is on the brink of collapse and revolution

      you are helping to make this easier for the Communist Party

      You?? are so out of touch with who we are in New Zealand that I can only suspect that ‘you’ are some kind of malicious phrase generating computer programme

  4. Jenny 4

    After decades of telling us that there was little money for schools and hospitals and welfare. The government reached into it’s purse and magicked up $1.7 billion to bail out a bunch of private investors who bet on a wrong deal, quickly followed up by $1 billion to pay off the liabilities of an insurance company that refused to honour its policies to its clients after decades of taking their premiums for earthquake insurance that they never thought that they would be called to pay out on.

    These huge extravagances preceded by cries of poverty give lie to the government claim that there is no money.

    Fool me once, shame on you.

    Fool me twice shame on me.

  5. The government reached into it’s purse and magicked up $1.7 billion to bail out a bunch of private investors who bet on a wrong deal

    Michael Cullen has said that Kevin Rudd forced the Clark Government’s hand on this, the commitment to pay for this was in place before National came into power, they didn’t have any choice but to honour Labour’s commitment.

    Andn it’s well known that the cost of not putting the guarantees in place would potentially have been far greater.

    • framu 5.1

      christ pete – this has been discussed over and over again

      you remember the bit where….
      1) national came into power
      2) they were told that SCF was looking dodgy and should be removed from the scheme multiple times
      3) SCF was then allowed to stay, plus the scheme was altered to favour them
      4) which triggered a massive inflow of money to SCF
      5) SCF then went belly up
      6) SCF was then bailed out, including unsecured overseas creditors

      does any of that ring any bells?

      • framu 5.1.1

        italic attack aaaaiiieeeeeeee

        how does one stop italics from another post? [RL: Fixed]

  6. Tom Barker 6

    The “pitch in and tighten our belts’ crowd might like to note that Rolls Royce is about to open its first-ever showroom in Auckland. For a very few people, the economy is doing very nicely indeed.

    • Carol 6.1

      Rolls Royce? Would that be the company that had to withdraw several years of certain model, high-class cars?

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/motoring/6806002/100-million-Rolls-Royce-recall

      Super-luxury brand Rolls-Royce is recalling almost every car sold in Australia over the past 10 years – with a combined value of close to $100 million – in one case because the brakes could fail, in another because the car could catch fire.

      And my old mid-90s, low budget, small car, just keeps on getting me to where I want to go – that’s when I’m not walking or using public transport.

      • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1

        Most car manufacturers have had to recall cars at some point or another due to design or manufacturing failure.

  7. Wetfootmammal 7

    Lazards is owned by the mega-rich Rothchilds banking dynasty too – in some circles known as “reptilians” lol. So no wonder Key is corrupting his scaly arse for them being a true blue banking globalist himself.

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