Labour doubts Govt will meet deadline

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Labour doubts Govt will meet deadline

3News NZ

Clayton Cosgrove

Clayton Cosgrove

The Government is unlikely to meet its deadline for the first energy company share float now it faces a prolonged legal battle with the Maori Council, Labour says.

Cabinet on Tuesday postponed plans to make an order in council which would have removed Mighty River Power from the State-Owned Enterprises Act after the Maori Council began High Court proceedings seeking a judicial review of the asset sales policy.

The order in council would have been the first step to open Mighty River Power to partial privatisation, and the Government plans to float 49 percent of the company's shares between March and June next year.

After the cabinet announcement, Justice Ronald Young set a substantive hearing on the case for November 26.

The Government says it has a very strong case but acknowledges it could end up fighting the council in the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister John Key says he is sticking with the March to June deadline but Labour's state-owned enterprises spokesman, Clayton Cosgrove, doesn't think the Government will make it.

"The sales process has been shambles after shambles," he said.

"This delay means it's unlikely we will have a decision until after Christmas, which makes their timeline of getting a sale in March extremely unlikely."

The council is going to argue that the Government will be acting illegally if it partially privatises Mighty River Power before Maori water rights are settled.

Mr Key says the Government believes it has met all its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, and he expects the courts will "understand the urgency" of the situation.

NZN

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Comments

11/12/2012 9:47:46 a.m.

montz wrote:

Some people have very Narrow Minds! We must STOP Foreign ownership or we will end up like the US a Police State. Keep NZ KIWI.

24/10/2012 5:35:55 p.m.

paora mepham wrote:

49% an astounding victory 2 john key and national? More people voted against him than for him. Ie no mandate to sell our assets. Simple.

24/10/2012 4:15:40 p.m.

Tweety wrote:

Jim Seaview, thank you, you said it all for me.

24/10/2012 1:31:08 p.m.

geoff s wrote:

The only Maori people that will benefit from their claim with be th lawyers and leaders and are always looking for new ways of extorting from the rest of us

24/10/2012 1:03:29 p.m.

Te Rubbish wrote:

Gary - what "our great country"? There is nothing but hardship and racial inequality and a gravy chain with no benefit to society at all. Many ambassadors are barely of Maori decent and even the Maori king does not speak Maori. Te wahangu tahi.

24/10/2012 12:47:43 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

QUOTE: "Labour's state-owned enterprises spokesman, Clayton Cosgrove, doesn't think the Government will make it. "The sales process has been shambles after shambles," he said. "This delay means it's unlikely we will have a decision until after Christmas, which makes their timeline of getting a sale in March extremely unlikely." COULD someone please remind Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove that John Key electioneered for 10 months last year on selling 49% of some of our state assets and Labours platform was introducing a capital gains tax, remove GST off food and increasing the age for pension entitlement.The Electorate looked at what was on offer and the final result on election night - John Key and the Nats got 49% of the electorate vote while the remaining SIX parties comprising of Mana, Act, NZ First, Labour, Greens and United Future all shared the remaining 51% of the vote. A clear astounding result for John Key and the Nats. I do not care if Mighty River is sold or not, I am just pointing out what the electorate chose while acknowledging the shambles that Clayton Cosgrove has just outlined. The problem with NZ First, Greens, Mana and Labour is that they spend so much time opposing what the Nats are planning to do that they cannot find time to develop policies that will decrease Government spending and give us their plans for REAL job creation in the PRIVATE sector - policies that we can listen to and debate their worthiness or not. NZ First, Mana, Greens, Labour and their Unions could join together and form a new political party - They could call themselves "The Opposition Quartet Party" Their theme song could be:- "Where have all our ideas gone?" They would remain an ineffective opposition party for many decades.

24/10/2012 11:24:44 a.m.

Gary wrote:

Yes Mr Key I do hope the courts "understand the urgency" and block the sale! NZ no longer trusts you and knows you for the liar you are. How can anyone support anything you put forward you are an embarrassment to us all and would sell your own grandmother if the US tell you to! Just go away and leave us to pick up the pieces after the mess and destruction to OUR great country you will leave behind

24/10/2012 11:15:25 a.m.

Te Rubbish wrote:

The Maori council do not represent iwi nor do they represent them or consult iwi. They are self appointed and loosely incorporated with an old Labour act, and their mandate does not even include consultation with the general Maori people or iwi. Their website has no information in the about us page and the photo compilation has a single photo of a motocross rider mid air????. They have no authority or authorisation to act on behalf of the Maori people, and their lawyer is confused between between traditional Maori guardianship and property "rights". A total waste of taxpayer money estimated 1.2 million with a decision destined to be a stalling of the inevitable. Every time they spout "treaty rights" with no valid reference to the outdated document. Their efforts would be more valuable in consultation with iwi and ensuring guardianship of assets is put into government acts and environmental governing bodies. Thats Maori tradition, not treaty rubble, not bagging the money and a benefit to the whole country not just a chosen few. But obviously that is sensible and does not make money or be allocated shares, to sell later.