A float with no %name%

Written By: - Date published: 6:17 am, April 16th, 2013 - 44 comments
Categories: Privatisation - Tags: , , ,

The Nats have spent $48.7 Million of our money “preparing” Mighty River Power for sale, and they couldn’t even get the very basics right. Toby Manhire posted this story last night:

Would you buy shares in a company that can’t run a mail merge?

Mighty River Share offer email goes out with generic field names.

… [The government] appear to have sent everyone who pre-registered for the first of the controversial partial asset sales an email with no personal information whatsoever – including the personal information essential for buying the things.

The email looks like this:

mrpoffer1
 
Brilliant.

44 comments on “A float with no %name% ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Dv 1
    16 April 2013 at 8:01 am

    Did the GSCB prepare the email?
    Or is this an example of a weapon of mass destruction.

  2. vto 2
    16 April 2013 at 8:07 am

    ha ha ha

    How surprising. Firstly, you could register your dog or anyone else or even non-existent people as interested in the float and now this happens.

    It is entirely in line with every other governmental failure lately. Witness Mai Chen’s description of the evil EQC in Christchurch yesterday.

    The government is incompetent. And this government is also dishonest and corrupt. Best thing is to avoid government as much as is possible – useless twats wandering around like some big dopey bozo standing on people’s toes, accidentally knocking people over and grinning toothless and cross-eyed.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      16 April 2013 at 8:25 am

      The government is incompetent.

      Yeah, it is in many ways. But what they’ve actually done is fucked the public service and chosen a whole lot of the wrong consultants and contractors, so there is no one capable left to hide the fact any more.

      • vto 2.1.1
        16 April 2013 at 8:32 am

        Yep, I wonder whether it is part of a loose plan to weaken the public service.

        ooohhh, but that would sound like a conspiracy and nobody in this world conspires to achieve things. Not even John Key.,…..

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1
          16 April 2013 at 8:36 am

          Treasury is actively looking to bring in new sweeping changes to the structure and employment of the public service, possibly the biggest in the last 20 years. This ain’t no conspiracy, this is happening.

        • SpaceMonkey 2.1.1.2
          16 April 2013 at 2:06 pm

          That’s exactly how it works… and it is a conspiracy. Attack the public service bringing it to the point of incompetence, then decry the capability of public service using it to underscore the rationale for privatisation.

  3. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3
    16 April 2013 at 8:44 am

    More evidence that government is no good at running business. What’s the solution?

    • vto 3.1
      16 April 2013 at 8:53 am

      More evidence that government is no good at running anything.

      To sit alongside the ample evidence that private enterprise is also no good at running anything (we could start with the finance and banking sector if you like)

    • felix 3.2
      16 April 2013 at 9:01 am

      More evidence that this government is no good at running anything.

      fify.

      • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.2.1
        16 April 2013 at 9:16 am

        So, the best solution is for the government to own everything and let David Shearer run it all for ever.

        • vto 3.2.1.1
          16 April 2013 at 9:19 am

          No the best solution is to sell everything off to the chinese and the yanks clearly

          • vto 3.2.1.1.1
            16 April 2013 at 9:32 am

            There is obviously no advantage in owning things. That is just what he silly rich do and what would they know?

            • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.2.1.1.1.1
              16 April 2013 at 9:40 am

              That’s right, because running businesses is really easy and they always and without fail make lots of money you can spend on giving everyone kittens and cupcakes.

              • Colonial Viper …
                16 April 2013 at 9:54 am

                Nah, that’a a bullshit non-argument. Multinational corporate rentiers, infrastructure ticket clippers, and the ROI demands of major and institutional shareholders are the main problem.

                They are quite different in nature to the SME crowd/small business person/small farmer. Don’t conflate the two.

                National treats small and medium sized Kiwi businesses with disdain.

              • One Anonymous Knucklehead …
                16 April 2013 at 9:54 am

                Harder than mail merge then?

              • vto …
                16 April 2013 at 10:03 am

                old the good old debate by way of witty and smart-alec one-liners – your line of expertise gormless. It achieves so much…….

                • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                  16 April 2013 at 10:32 am

                  You are bitching on blogs in the hope of achieving something, vto? How’s that going?

                  • vto …
                    16 April 2013 at 11:02 am

                    At times it goes very well akshully. There are countless in-depth analysis and debate over the role government and private enterprise each have in ownership of various in the NZ sphere.

                    Clearly not in this instant with you though.

                    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                      16 April 2013 at 11:07 am

                      What would you say has been your greatest achievement so far?

                    • vto …
                      16 April 2013 at 11:10 am

                      a greater depth of knowledge and understanding around the detail on various political matters than previously existed methinks.

                      you? what’s your greatest achievement on here?

                    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                      16 April 2013 at 11:12 am

                      Interesting. How have your views changed as a result of that greater knowledge and understanding?

                      I never claimed to be trying to get things achieved by the method of bitching on blogs.

                    • vto …
                      16 April 2013 at 11:39 am

                      neither did i but i indulged your question.

                      care to offer the same courtesy in return?

                    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                      16 April 2013 at 11:48 am

                      Not trying to be impolite. I am not setting out to achieve anything earth-shattering and, were I, I do not think making comments on blogs would be the most efficient way of going about it.

                    • AmaKiwi …
                      17 April 2013 at 12:30 am

                      @ The Gormless Fool

                      “What would you say has been your greatest achievement so far?”

                      WE are the of the informed, intelligent voice of the LEFT. We are constantly changing the face of NZ politics.

                      Through our conversations on The Standard we gain valuable insights from a wide range of people. Many are leading experts in their fields. From this pool of information and ideas we clarify and refine our arguments.

                      Politicians AND the Main Stream Media (MSM) are repeatedly influenced by what we say.

                      Time and again I read it on The Standard and in a day or two the same is repeated on the MSM or by leading politicians.

                      I respect intelligent commentary from both right and left. But I have no use for gormless fools and king kongs who contribute little of value. We on The Standard are continuously influencing NZ politics. It is serious work. We are succeeding. I write thoughtfully because I know this is important work.

            • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.1.1.2
              16 April 2013 at 9:43 am

              Its Ok to pay the rentiers your whole life (at least that’s what the ones taking your money like you to think).

        • felix 3.2.1.2
          16 April 2013 at 11:35 am

          “So, the best solution is for the government to own everything and let David Shearer run it all for ever.”

          Jeez Ole, what’s wrong with you this morning? Don’t be such a dick.

          • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.2.1.2.1
            16 April 2013 at 4:49 pm

            What do you mean “this morning”?

    • Draco T Bastard 3.3
      16 April 2013 at 11:14 am

      More evidence that this government’s appointees are no good at running business.

      FIFY

      Here’s the real kicker – power shouldn’t be a business but a public service.

      • Matthew Whitehead 3.3.1
        16 April 2013 at 8:15 pm

        You assume anyone who voted for this government understands the concept of public service, which I would dispute.

      • AmaKiwi 3.3.2
        17 April 2013 at 12:37 am

        @ Draco T Bastard

        “power shouldn’t be a business but a public service”

        If it is privately owned, it should closely audited and highly regulated so the share holders get a return commensurate with owning a monopoly. I.e., a return not much greater than the interest paid on government stock. That is what is done overseas.

  4. infused 4
    16 April 2013 at 8:51 am

    So, about as good as Shearer announcing he is going to reduce power prices without saying how then? Yeah it’s off topic, but it’s just as stupid.

  5. TheContrarian 5
    16 April 2013 at 9:03 am

    Yep – that was the email I received in my inbox.
    And someone who works in a PR related field I facepalmed a little.

  6. One Anonymous Knucklehead 6
    16 April 2013 at 9:34 am

    There they go, tripping over the competence hurdle again.

    Surely there’s some simple task they could do, there must be a way for them to make themselves useful. But first we have to get them off the Treasury benches.

  7. tamati 7
    16 April 2013 at 10:57 am

    Another fuck up,

    Apparently my “unique” reference number is MRP 00000000 .

  8. TheContrarian 8
    16 April 2013 at 11:29 am

    They have sent me a new email apologising for the error and correcting it.

    • fender 8.1
      16 April 2013 at 11:43 am

      Thank goodness, I was terribly concerned about your predicament.

      Better ask for an ‘I’m a key person’ t-shirt as compensation.

      • TheContrarian 8.1.1
        16 April 2013 at 11:53 am

        What are you talking about? What predicament? Why would I want a Key person T-shirt?

  9. Shaz 9
    16 April 2013 at 11:41 am

    Rod Oram has just discussed on Radio NZ how there is much more information available to institutional investors than there is to personal investors about whether to invest in Mighty River Power. There is also a no media period from a few weeks ago to well after the float when the institions involved in the float cannot comment – so basically a news blackout. A pretty serious problem for a share issue that is arguably (hah 🙂 ) intended for personal investors. One serious financial analyst with access to this information, Oram asserts, has indicated that he will not be investing. The interview will appear on this page shortly.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon

    Is there a lawyer willing to try and stop the process until and unless personal investors can decide to invest or not based on the same information as is available to institutional investors?

    • Colonial Viper 9.1
      16 April 2013 at 11:54 am

      Nah, institutional investors always get to front run and fuck retail investors over. That’s the sham which makes the scam.

      • Dv 9.1.1
        16 April 2013 at 1:43 pm

        And note it US rules that prevent the release of the anaylysts reports.

        • Shaz 9.1.1.1
          16 April 2013 at 7:30 pm

          Yes that’s right. NZ public assets privatised according to US legislative requirements. We may as well be in the TPP already! Surely to goodness the issue of US citizens resident here should have been addressed in the MOMA legislation given that the intent to sell to New Zealanders was (arguably 😉 ) part of the initial plan and issues of limiting investment could have been foreseen.

  10. SpaceMonkey 10
    16 April 2013 at 2:10 pm

    Government can’t even get a mail merge right… it simply highlights why MRP should be privatised stat! /sarc

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