Cabinet to rubber stamp partial asset sales on Monday
Government not sure if shares will be offered before the Budget on May 16.
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Prime Minister John Key expects the cabinet to rubber stamp its partial asset sales plan on Monday.
He says ministers will sign off on the order-in-council to remove Mighty River Power from the State Owned Enterprises Act to the mixed ownership model legislation, paving the way for the sale process to begin.
The government will then invite offers to buy shares.
Mr Key cannot confirm whether the sale process will be under way by the May 16 Budget day.
He says the cabinet decision to delay the process while it consulted with iwi and evaluated the merits of the shares-plus concept helped it win the Supreme Court case.
“If we hadn’t have done those things, we might have been in real strife when we got to the Supreme Court. So we followed the right process, had the right advice from Queen’s counsel David Goddard.”
Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O’Reilly has welcomed the decision, saying it adds clarity and will also provide a huge opportunity to develop capital markets.
“The decision will provide a boost to business confidence and confidence in capital markets.”
Blair Cunningham
Wed, 27 Feb 2013
Wed, 27 Feb 2013
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Cabinet to rubber stamp partial asset sales on Monday
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