April 22, 2013
Don’t Sell Our Family Silver. Keep New Zealand’s State Owned Assets!
On Saturday, April 27, just eight days before the National Government plans to sell 49% of the shares in Mighty River
Power in New Zealand and Australia, thousands of people throughout New Zealand will march and rally as part of Power to
the People – a nationwide day of action against asset sales.
In Dunedin, we march from the Dental School at 1.40pm, to rally in the Octagon, from 2pm to 4pm.
We will remind this forgetful government that on March 13 we submitted a petition that over 390,000 New Zealanders
signed, calling for a Citizen’s Initiated Referendum on asset sales. If the government proceeds with this socially
divisive sale, ahead of the CIR, they will deny all New Zealanders our democratic right to the open, informed, and
thorough consultation.
We say, as this National Government admits that as a result of the proposed Mighty River Power share sale we will lose
$94 Million cash-flow every year, their desire “to proceed with a reasonable degree of haste” is unacceptable.
We fear successive governments will have to find money to cover the resultant cash-flow shortfall through cuts in public
services, and by increasing taxes and borrowing. We know borrowing money would become more expensive than the return
already being achieved from those assets, leaving New Zealand open to an economic situation like that of Greece, or
Ireland.
This National Government fails to appreciate the true nature of the devastating long-term financial effects that their
irrevocable decision to sell off assets will have on our children and grandchildren’s futures. They will undermine our
intergenerational wealth without appropriate community engagement.
This government does not have the people’s mandate to act as brokers of publicly owned wealth on this scale. They fail
to understand the concept of intergenerational equity, commonly referred to as ‘the family silver’, passed down through
generations. With their blood, sweat and tears, previous generations built up and preserved these assets, providing us
today with the income needed to build schools and fund hospitals. We would not dispose of our own intergenerational
equity so recklessly without consulting the family, so, it is time for this government to listen to the majority of New
Zealanders, and stop the sale of state owned assets now.
Confirmed speakers: Metiria Turei, Green Party; Clare Curran, Labour; Jo Millar, Grey Power; Victor Billot, Alliance; Olive McRae, Mana;
Fiona Matapo, Teachers’ Association; Michelle Helliwell, Occupy; Mayor Dave Cull sends his best wishes and he will speak
if his schedule permits; Michael Woodhouse, National, is overseas and sends his apologies. We await confirmation of
someone who can speak for him.
Open mic: members of the public can have their say.
Live Bands: Katharticus and Whiskey and the Wench
Face Painting: for the kids.
This event is endorsed by the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale, Keep our Assets, Labour, Greens, Mana, Unite Union, SFWU, EPMU,
Alliance, CAFAC, Greypower, NZNO, NZFirst, Mana Movement, PSA, First Union, MUNZ, Occupy, and Socialist Aotearoa.
ENDS