Copeland: AGMs needed for SOEs
State-owned enterprises should hold annual general meetings, according to United Future finance spokesman Gordon
Copeland.
Mr Copeland raised the issue during the debate on Crown entities in Parliament this week, when he noted that many
questions raised by journalists and politicians about the contribution of state-owned energy suppliers in both
generation and transmission, to the electricity crisis were left unanswered.
"If we are trying to operate SOEs as if they were commercial businesses, then, like companies in the private sector, the
board and management of SOEs should be subject to an AGM, with open scrutiny from stakeholders.
"Such meetings would allow representatives of consumer groups, the media and other interested parties to probe our SOEs
just as if they were publicly listed companies, since the citizens and families of New Zealand are the ultimate
shareholders of these enterprises.
"There have been many questions raised in the media, and all too few answers. Such a move would go some way to
addressing that issue," Mr Copeland said.