Aucklanders tell Nats they don’t want their MOM

Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, April 27th, 2012 - 9 comments
Categories: privatisation - Tags: ,

30 more had their say.

30 more said they didn’t want it.

1400 submissions, almost all against it for many, many good reasons.

“The new mixed ownership company will, over time, change from service, continuity, social responsibility and growth of generation capacity to one of only maximising return”

“[P]rivatisation is primarily for the purpose of this wealth transfer. This purpose has been obscured by the extensive rhetoric, biased analysis, and sheer moneyed interests that have been able to persuade politicians … to promote privatisation.”

“How will the Government ensure that the companies do not make financially disastrous decisions like performing market manipulations and predatory behaviour?”

From experience, this of Wellington’s Line companies:

“The main objective of a succession of private owners has been to maximise profits for their shareholders.
“As a result, electricity line charges have risen steeply, and all the profits made from running the electricity network have flowed out of Wellington, mostly to overseas owners.”

People don’t want the Sales to proceed.  If they must then the good employer and social responsibility edict of the SOE Act must stay, the OIA and Ombudsman provisions must stay.  There must be limits on foreign ownership.  Safety practices must continue:

“Pike River mine performed the minimal safety requirements … Solid Energy goes well above the safety requirements because, as an SOE, it has a focus on the safety aspects of being a good employer and not merely the profit line.”

A One News-Colmar Brunton poll this month found 61 per cent of New Zealanders opposed, 30 per cent in favour and 9 per cent did not know about the bill – that’s about the best poll the Nats have had yet, with more than 2:1 opposed.

But no signs the Nats are listening.

Big March in Auckland tomorrow, lets shout it louder.  We need all of Auckland to be there.

–

Separately: great Op Ed piece by Cunliffe in the Herald today about the difference in Vision between Labour and National.  Innovation & Sustainability vs Extraction & Low Wages; Rule for All, rather than Rule for your Mates…

9 comments on “Aucklanders tell Nats they don’t want their MOM ”

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  1. Fortran 1
    27 April 2012 at 1:05 pm

    [sorry – you’re currently on a 2 week ban. — r0b]

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    27 April 2012 at 2:28 pm

    Separately: great Op Ed piece by Cunliffe in the Herald today about the difference in Vision between Labour and National. Innovation & Sustainability vs Extraction & Low Wages;

    Unfortunately, the vision put forward by Labour is no more sustainable than NACTs.

  3. bad12 3
    27 April 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Democracy’s major flaw,we have a select committee process where the vast majority of submissions are opposed to a policy,(in this instance the theft of assets not ‘owned’ by the Government), and, we all know that Government will ignore the vast majority of those submissions…

    • Draco T Bastard 3.1
      27 April 2012 at 9:36 pm

      It’s not democracy’s major flaw per sè but representative democracy’s major flaw. The select committee process isn’t there to take votes but to decide the best options for the legislation as far as the government is concerned. These sales of state assets proves that we don’t live in a democracy but in an elected dictatorship.

  4. Peter in Papua New Guinea 4
    27 April 2012 at 8:58 pm

    What phone booth will this protest march take place in?

    • Galeandra 4.1
      27 April 2012 at 10:35 pm

      lol – such an original line! Do they still have phone-booths in PNG? For troll calls I suppose.

      There are many people who oppose privatisation and will actively express their opposition.

  5. Peter in Papua New Guinea 5
    28 April 2012 at 12:22 am

    Why assume I am in PNG? They have planes out of there, or are you too thick to realise this?
    Phone booth at the bottom of Queen Street is a good meeting place.

    • felix 5.1
      28 April 2012 at 7:10 am

      “Why assume I am in PNG?”

      Just taking a wild stab at this I’d say it’s because s/he has at least a basic working knowledge of the English language and knows what the word “in” means.

  6. Policy Parrot 6
    28 April 2012 at 3:11 am

    First we had such bad ideas as “Mars needs Moms”.
    Now we are having to endure even worse ones: “Nats want MOMs”.

    Sometimes you just have to know when to quit, rather than do the obligatory sequel.