Hon Bill English
Minister of Finance
Hon Tony Ryall
Minister for State Owned Enterprises
22 April 2013 Media Statement
Government files supplementary disclosure on Mighty River Power
The Government and Mighty River Power are filing a supplementary disclosure to the Mighty River Power offer document,
say Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall.
The document is being lodged with the Registrar of Financial Service Providers this afternoon.
“The existing MRP offer document already outlined the principal risks associated with an investment in MRP shares,” Mr
English says.
“That covered the risk that changes in the regulatory environment, including for the wholesale or retail electricity
market, may affect the company.
“However, we received advice that the recent Labour/Greens proposal, if they were elected, to effectively replace
competition with a state agency to act as a single buyer of wholesale electricity from generators, could be material to
decisions to invest in Mighty River Power shares.
“Our advice is also that if Labour/ Greens had announced this policy before the offer began, their announcement would
have been referred to in the offer document submitted to the FMA.
“The supplementary disclosure sets out the additional information so that prospective investors can factor that into
their decision making,” Mr English says.
Mr Ryall says the Government has always said that New Zealanders should consider the share offer opportunity carefully
before making their own decisions.
“That advice hasn’t changed,” Mr Ryall says.
“As a consequence of the rules governing supplementary disclosure, the share offer website has been temporarily
suspended until tomorrow morning when it will re-open with the new disclosure added, but with all other details of the
offer remaining the same, including the closing time of 5pm on Friday 3 May.
“The rules also require that New Zealanders who have already applied for shares may withdraw their applications if they
choose. Withdrawals will be accepted for five working days.
“The MRP share offer is firmly on track. As we said at the time the offer was launched, MRP is a proud New Zealand
company and the Government is confident in its future as a listed company,” Mr Ryall says.
ENDS
What happens next?
There are a number of procedural steps that need to be followed:
1. The supplementary disclosure document is being lodged with the Registrar of Financial Service Providers this
afternoon, and is being published on the Companies Office website.
2. Mighty River Power is issuing a notice through the NZX to inform the market of the supplementary disclosure
3. The offer website (www.mightyrivershares.govt.nz) is temporarily suspended until just after midnight tonight. No applications for shares will be accepted until the
website is turned back on.
4. From tomorrow (12.01am Tuesday 23 April) the website will carry the disclosure document and further information.
Investors will be able to apply for shares again, and New Zealanders who had already applied are able to withdraw their
application if they wish.
5. Withdrawals are accepted for five working days (until 1 May 2013).
6. Advertisements will be run in the major newspapers on Tuesday 23 April to inform New Zealanders of the
supplementary disclosure.
What do investors need to do if they wish to withdraw their application?
Withdrawals can be made by calling 0800 90 30 90 (after 8am on Tuesday) or online via the www.mightyrivershares.govt.nz website after midnight tonight. As noted above, the website will be temporarily suspended for the rest of today.
An applicant who withdraws is permitted to re-apply. If they pre-registered, they will still benefit from the
preferential allocation rights.
Refunds are required to be paid within ten business days of allotment (so they are expected to be paid between 14 and 28
May 2013).