ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The New Zealand government will be forced to hold a non-binding referendum on state asset sales after 10 percent of eligible voters signed a petition against the program.
The Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mary Harris, said today she was satisfied that the petition has more than the 308,753 signatures needed for a referendum.
The petition, mostly organised by the Leftists and Green Party asked whether a referendum should be held on the Government’s plans to sell up to 49 percent of three state-owned power companies as well as reducing its stake in Air New Zealand Ltd.
The pro-business and pro-growth government headed by John Key, planned to reap between NZ$5 billion ($3.9 billion) and NZ$7 billion from the asset sales, which it will use to fund spending on infrastructure and reduce debt. It raised NZ$1.7 billion by selling a 48 percent stake in Mighty River Power Ltd. in May and has said it will proceed with the partial sale of Meridian Energy Ltd., New Zealand’s largest power company, by early November.
The New Zealand government will be forced to hold a non-binding referendum on state asset sales after 10 percent of eligible voters signed a petition against the program. The Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mary Harris, said today she was satisfied that the petition has more than the...
The New Zealand government will be forced to hold a non-binding referendum on state asset sales after 10 percent of eligible voters signed a petition against the program.
The Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mary Harris, said today she was satisfied that the petition has more than the 308,753 signatures needed for a referendum.
The petition, mostly organised by the Leftists and Green Party asked whether a referendum should be held on the Government’s plans to sell up to 49 percent of three state-owned power companies as well as reducing its stake in Air New Zealand Ltd.
The pro-business and pro-growth government headed by John Key, planned to reap between NZ$5 billion ($3.9 billion) and NZ$7 billion from the asset sales, which it will use to fund spending on infrastructure and reduce debt. It raised NZ$1.7 billion by selling a 48 percent stake in Mighty River Power Ltd. in May and has said it will proceed with the partial sale of Meridian Energy Ltd., New Zealand’s largest power company, by early November.
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