The people have spoken: no more asset sales
A report in the Sunday Star Times on 3 April 2005 quotes a specially commissioned poll that shows that nearly 80% of New Zealanders are opposed to any Government selling state owned enterprises or shareholdings in other companies – including 71% of National voters.

This is more conclusive proof of the vast gap that exists between the free market ideas of the establishment parties, and the voting public.

Why have the Labour and National parties been such enthusiastic privatizers over the last two decades? They have consistently put the interests of the elite ahead of the public – the people who would benefit from publicly owned assets working for the public benefit rather than private profit.

It was disturbing to read Labour Party President Mike Williams say that people opposed privatization because it had been a "cock up." How wrong can you get - the privatization that Labour and National Government's carried out went exactly to plan - corporate predators moved in and cleaned up, while any risk or bungles were paid for by the public. It went exactly to plan.

Mind you, this is the same Labour Party that accepts big fat sponsorship from the corporates that benefit from their free market policies. So I suppose Mr Williams would say that.

Of course the Alliance goes one better – we intend to put all major infrastructure back in public hands, such as power, telecommunications and the national airline. For the public benefit - a concept that the right wing National and Labour politicians can't stand.
- posted by Victor @ 11:54 AM