Mana | Movement of the People

Appropriation (2011/2012 Financial Review) Bill debate – STOP THE SALE – Hone Harawira

Kia ora kōrua

Hone has finally sent this through – worth sending out to media at this late stage Malcolm? Can you please put up on website Lasa.

Thank you.

Ngā mihi,
Helen.

Dr Helen Potter
Senior Advisor/Researcher
MANA Movement of the People
Parliament Buildings
WELLINGTON
Ph (04) 817-6992
Mob (021) 060-8910

Appropriation (2011/2012 Financial Review) Bill debate
Financial Review of the Treasury and of the Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the year ended 30 June 2012
STOP THE SALE

MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau Hone Harawira
Tuesday 12 March 2013

Mr Speaker, this government’s line about spending the money it makes from the sale of state assets, on new schools and hospitals, is a myth that is very quickly exposed by a simple reading of this financial review of the Treasury and the Government’s financial statements for 2012 which shows that:

1. Even though the Minister of Finance talks up his government’s target of 170,000 new jobs, he has no plan to create jobs except point to a marketplace that is dumping Kiwi workers and shifting our manufacturing sector overseas.
2. Even though the Minister says not to read too much into our skyrocketing unemployment figures, external agencies not only correctly predicted our current level of unemployment when the govt couldn’t, those same agencies also predict another 25,000 unemployed in the March quarter.
3. Even though the Minister says he can’t understand why unemployment is up but people on unemployment benefits are down, he happily votes for welfare reforms which are forcing people off benefits, out of their homes, and onto the streets.
4. Even though the Minister says he’s optimistic about our future, the review shows that Crown debt will go through the roof over the next 4 years, and that according to the IMF, our external debt is the second worst in the developed world, and will be worse than Greece’s by 2014.
5. And even though the Minister is talking up the sale of Mighty River Power, the review says that “the Crown is unlikely to maximise its return from a public offering of shares in the current economic climate”

Such is the climate in which this government is preparing to sell off assets that we already own, when they say to us “Hey guess what folks – you know the house that our grandparents built? Well, we’re going to sell the kitchen because we need some money to fix the toilet, but don’t worry, we can rent the kitchen back for the next thousand years”

Can you see how dumb that sounds folks? This is our house, but we got to rent back our own kitchen … forever? At a rent that will keep going up every year? For a kitchen that our grandparents built?

The fact is that this country is in an economic hole with the second worst external debt in the developed world, and any monies from the sale of state assets will be used to repay that debt – not all of it, just some of it.

And isn’t that a good idea I hear you say – to repay debt? Well no, because what happens when we’ve sold off the power companies? The debt will still be there. And then what are we going to sell?

• Our schools? Oops, too late. We’ve already privatising education.
• What about health? Oops. We’ve already privatised health services as well, much to the joy of overseas private health insurance companies, making a killing off our pain and misery.
• Our state houses? Already being flogged off as we speak as witnessed by the communities of Glen Innes, Porirua and Maraeroa.

The fact is that the rape and pillage brigade have already gotten their grubby little hands on most of the family jewels … so this government is now trumpeting our third world status and our low wages in an attempt to sell our labour to the world … that’s the climate in which this government is planning to flog off our assets.

That’s why MANA stood with the NZMC who won their case to ensure Maori rights to water were recognised, and delayed the sale of Mighty River Power until today.

That’s why MANA will support the Council’s effort to clarify the extent of those Maori rights when the case comes back before the Waitangi Tribunal later this month.

That’s why MANA supports Pouakani’s bid to stop the sale of state assets until their interests in the water which drives Mighty River Power, have been properly clarified and protected.

And that’s why today, MANA was proud to stand alongside Labour, the Greens, NZ First, the Unions, Grey Power, and the Students Association in receiving the petition of nearly 400,000 people calling for a referendum on asset sales – the biggest referendum petition ever presented to Parliament.

Because on matters of principle, people have to take a stand.

Because,

• despite widespread disapproval from the public over the pending sale of Mighty River Power,
• despite every respected economist questioning it’s financial viability,
• despite several court cases being brought by Maori over water rights,
• and despite government already admitting that the shares will be sold cheaply,
• and that they cannot guarantee that those shares will even remain in New Zealand hands,

This government still plans to sell Mighty River Power.

Today I stand alongside those hundreds of thousands of NZ heroes who signed the petition, and challenge the government to put its claim that it has support for asset sales to the ultimate test – a straight referendum – one simple question – do you support the sale of state assets – YES or NO.

This fight is a long way from over, and I look forward to working with everyone willing to continue the fight to stop the sale of New Zealand’s strategic assets.