Privatisation
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Kiwis at the front of the queue?
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, March 4th, 2013 - 140 comments
One of the promises that Key made about asset sales was that Kiwis would be “at the front of the queue”. So why will up to 30% of the current offering be heading overseas?
The Government must be crazy
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, March 1st, 2013 - 22 comments
Come one, came all to National’s fire sale! See how fast we can flog off your assets! Low prices, great returns to foreign investors!
Regulate this!
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, February 28th, 2013 - 172 comments
If we can’t afford to buy the assets back, we should at least make clear we will regulate them severely and take the profit out of electricity companies…
Breaking: Supreme Court dismisses Maori Council appeal
Written By: - Date published: 3:20 pm, February 27th, 2013 - 127 comments
Unanimous decision by the 5 judges to dismiss the Maori Council’s appeal.
Asset Sales delay?
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 pm, February 14th, 2013 - 42 comments
The Herald reports that the Supreme Court will not meet the Government’s timetable for its decision on the Maori Council’s challenge to Asset Sales.
Charter Schools: A failed idea
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, January 17th, 2013 - 36 comments
Submissions for the Education Amendment Bill 2012 (includes Charter Schools) close on 24 January. The PPTA reminds us that Charter Schools are a failed idea. Even Treasury documents show they are a bad idea.
Asset sales referendum is a go!
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, January 4th, 2013 - 93 comments
The Asset Sales petition has the numbers for a referendum, but need to continue to collect signatures til the petition is submitted at the end of the month. Well done! The evidence & the majority of New Zealanders do not support the sales. Keep campaigning!
Selling NZ – in the news
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, December 29th, 2012 - 93 comments
There’s been a couple of stories in the news over the last 24 hours that could do with some scrutiny: Treasury warns of asset sales over-load; potential sale of Oceania Dairy to an overseas company to set up a milk factory in NZ.
Will the real David Shearer please stand up?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, December 28th, 2012 - 104 comments
Many want Shearer to break with neoliberalism, clearly state his politics and a new political direction. He became leader with a compelling, but worryingly selective, back-story. Party members want democratic participation. What of consensus-building, coercion, public services, social security, TPP, PPPs, state assets, sustainability?
Get your asset sales petitions in
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, December 14th, 2012 - 22 comments
If you’ve got any asset sales petitions hanging about, quickly send them in to the address on the bottom. The Keep Our Assets coalition are shortly to send in the petition for the Electoral Commission to start verifying the 350,000-odd names they have.
Judicial review of water ownership rejected
Written By: - Date published: 9:53 pm, December 11th, 2012 - 17 comments
A win for the Nats, a loss for the country. The Maori Council’s request for a judicial review of water rights has been rejected.
Protest! Asset Sales – TPPA
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 8th, 2012 - 51 comments
Yesterday evening there was an Aotearoa Not For Sale protest in Auckland: 350,000 signatures achieved! Today, Sat 8 Dec, Day of Action against TPPA: NELSON – noon: AUCKLAND – march leaves Aotea Sq at 2.00 pm sharp! [Update: only news when there’s violence!]
Opposing TPP
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 pm, December 6th, 2012 - 10 comments
Away from the front pages of the MSM, there is information about opposition to the TPP. Aside from the secrecy, the TPP is looking far too complex and all-encompassing. There are some protest events coming up in the next few days.
TPP protests – Day 1
Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 9 comments
A week of [updated: video] protests against the secretive TPP began today outside entrance to Sky City Convention Centre, where the latest round of TPP negotiations are being held. The majority of Kiwis are not happy with the secrecy. Jane Kelsey & Canadian Peter Clark identify problems.
Signathon this weekend
Written By: - Date published: 4:28 pm, November 21st, 2012 - 36 comments
This weekend a major nationwide collection drive aims to reach the signature target to force a citizens initiated referendum on asset sales. Can you help to collect signatures?
Mighty River sale on hold
Written By: - Date published: 2:32 pm, October 23rd, 2012 - 28 comments
As expected, the High Court advised today that the government should hold off sale of Mighty River Power. The government is complying.
Asset sales grind on
Written By: - Date published: 5:50 pm, October 15th, 2012 - 37 comments
Amidst all the current scandal and chaos, the Nats’ privatisation agenda grinds on.
Something missing from asset sales debate
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, September 8th, 2012 - 38 comments
Something’s missing from Labour’s position on asset sales. It’s what it will do with the partially privatised companies (if the sales do go ahead despite Treaty issues and the dearth of economic rationale) when Labour is once more in government. I understand why it cannot promise to buy back the shares but why not make […]
Asset sales delayed
Written By: - Date published: 4:28 pm, September 3rd, 2012 - 49 comments
Breaking news – the government is delaying the sale of assets until at least March next year.
Marriage Equality and other bills
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 pm, August 29th, 2012 - 51 comments
It’s Members Night in Parliament and the Marriage Equality Bill has passed its first reading. Future Asset Sales have not been entrenched however and National are currently arguing against raising the minimum wage.
Tribunal calls for asset sale delay
Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 63 comments
Waitangi Tribunal says Government must halt asset sales until Treaty issues sorted, and Tom Scott gives a progress report. National’s wheels are coming off.
NRT: Numbers out of his arse
Written By: - Date published: 1:25 pm, August 22nd, 2012 - 31 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on Key’s made up numbers.
What to sell?
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, August 22nd, 2012 - 24 comments
It makes no sense to sell the assets National want to sell. But the particular economic cases just keep getting worse. This week it appears things went disastrous. Now we wonder what’s left to sell? Or will it be a firesale against a back-drop of the courts? And why won’t they face the public over what’s happening?
Nats lied – power prices to rise
Written By: - Date published: 9:08 am, August 15th, 2012 - 36 comments
Minister after Minister denied it, but it turns out that common sense is right. Private power companies charge more. Privatisation surely means that prices will rise. Is it even news when this government lies these days?
3 News polls mums and dads
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, August 10th, 2012 - 43 comments
Turns out that not many “mums and dads” are planning to buy shares in their own assets.
The illusion of consultation
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, August 4th, 2012 - 22 comments
For some reason the Nats are in a hurry to complete their privatisation programme within two years. Anyone in any doubt as to how the process of consultation with Maori will play out might be informed by some recent history.
Local Bodies: NZ Charter Schools Defined
Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, August 2nd, 2012 - 62 comments
A post (reprinted with permission) from bsprout at the Local Bodies blog…
The luxury of an ethical opposition
Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, August 2nd, 2012 - 38 comments
Although Key’s privatisation programme has hit plenty of problems with Maori water rights, his job is made a whole lot easier by the luxury of an ethical main opposition party.
Waitangi Tribunal: Asset sales should stop
Written By: - Date published: 3:58 pm, July 30th, 2012 - 70 comments
The Waitangi Tribunal has recommended that asset sales should stop.
Will update as reaction emerges.
The cost of asset sales
Written By: - Date published: 5:29 pm, July 24th, 2012 - 25 comments
Loyalty Scheme: $360 million.
Brokerage Fees: $90 million.
Advertising/PR: $30 million.
Iwi Settlements: $unknown.
Lost Revenue: $100 million/year.
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