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Govt accused of rushing asset sales bill

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Govt accused of rushing asset sales bill

3News NZ

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman

Legislation the Government must pass so it can partially sell state-owned assets is being rushed through Parliament, opposition parties say.

The select committee dealing with the Mixed Ownership Model Bill is going to report it back next week, well ahead of its July 16 deadline.

Labour and the Greens suspect it will be passed under urgency because the Government wants it enacted before a petition for a citizens-initiated referendum on asset sales gains momentum.

Committee chairman Todd McClay says there hasn't been any abuse of parliamentary process and he isn't surprised by opposition complaints because Labour and the Greens have always opposed the bill.

When the bill is passed the Government will be able to sell 49 per cent of the shares in four state-owned energy companies - Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy and Solid Energy.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says Government MPs on the committee used their majority to push the bill through.

"We never really had a proper chance to consider it," he told NZ Newswire on Friday.

"There are still a whole bunch of issues Treasury were never able to provide advice on because they didn't have time."

Hundreds of submitters attended hearings on the bill and nearly all of them opposed it.

Dr Norman says National MPs treated them badly.

"I've never before seen submitters asked how they voted, it was incredibly disrespectful," he said.

"Maggie Barry was asking them how they voted in last year's election - they have a right to make a submission whichever way they voted. It was intimidation."

Dr Norman says he expects the bill will come back to Parliament with hardly any changes and the Government will quickly put it through its remaining stages.

NZN

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Comments

14/06/2012 12:02:11 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

James wrote: "70% population voted; of which 48% voted national"

Who actually cares about the 30% who either couldnt be bothered to vote or chose not to because at election time thought that the country was in good hands. If someone at election thought that the country was poorly managed - surely they would have got off their backside and voted either Mana, Act, Progressive, Labour, Maori, Greens, or NZ First. These other seven parties got 52% of the vote. There were certainly plenty of voting options other than the Nats.

10/06/2012 11:15:49 a.m.

james wrote:

@ JIM: 70% population voted; of which 48% voted national; Not even 35% of the poulation voted for national. Mayby not even a third! I wouldnt go round acting like i won if those were the figures! they need to make no confedence in all polititions a choice in voting!

8/06/2012 2:07:42 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

Quote: "Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says Government MPs on the committee used their majority to push the bill through.
"We never really had a proper chance to consider it," he told NZ Newswire on Friday.
"There are still a whole bunch of issues Treasury were never able to provide advice on because they didn't have time."

Prior to the last election the Nats election platform for some 10 months was on the sale of 49% of some state assets. Labours platform was increased taxes CGT and superannuation. The voters had plenty of time to peruse all what was being offered and the Nats got 48% of the electorate vote and the remaining six opposition parties shared the remaining votes.

Now Russel Norman says that "We never really had a proper chance to consider it,"

How much time do the Greens need to consider asset sales? It was on the Nats agenda all last year.

8/06/2012 11:53:43 a.m.

wondering wrote:

I am wondering if this is what the strategic moral outrage inducing announcements this week were a smoke screen for.Let the middle class parents once again scream from the roof tops