Shareholders Association poll suggests up to half of people who intended to invest in the Mighty River Power partial privatisation have changed their minds or are reconsidering.

"As we said on the day we launched NZ Power, we have no plans to intervene in any other markets."

The Mighty River Power estimate is based on the Greens/Labour parties' own statements about the complex process.

COMMENT: Even before the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter opened in 1972, it was the subject of the same controversy now playing out. Right from the word go, governments have capitulated to hard-ball Aussie corporates

The government is offering unspecified assistance to keep the Bluff smelter open in the short term, which could save next month's float of Mighty River Power but blows away its hands-off policy on state-owned companies' commercial affairs.

The company's first appearance before a parliamentary select committee since the government confirmed its part-privatisation.