Headline: The people have spoken – National must listen
The people of New Zealand have spoken and voted overwhelmingly against asset sales – it is now time for John Key to listen to them, says Labour Leader David Cunliffe.
“Kiwis have clamoured to have their voice heard on asset sales. More than 310,000 thousand backed the petition and now 1.3 million have voted. Over 67 per cent or almost 900,000 have said no to asset sales.
“The numbers are clear. Kiwis don’t want their assets sold. John Key must listen and call off the Genesis sale now. National’s claimed mandate to sell the assets has now disappeared.
“This result is despite National trying every trick in the book to minimise turnout and mitigate the result including; saying they would ignore the result, holding the referendum close to Christmas and claiming the programme is all but over.
“The privatisation programme has been a weeping sore for National all year. The sales have brought in $1 billion less than expected so far and just two per cent of Kiwis have bought shares.
“Shares in all three companies floated are trading below the original price, making New Zealanders more sceptical of the share market.
“In the final nail in the coffin of the Government’s programme, New Zealanders have voted overwhelmingly against National’s decision to sell the assets.
“Kiwis always knew asset sales were a terrible idea. They have been proven right and now they have spoken. There is no way National can claim a mandate for the sales. John Key must stop this ideologically-driven madness now,” David Cunliffe says.
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