State-Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall says the government is looking at schemes to reward long-term shareholders of partially privatised state-owned assets, in response to market research it's been undertaking.
In an attempt to make the politically unpopular share floats attractive at a hip pocket level, Mr Ryall told TV3's The Nation current affairs show the government is considering parcelling shares in $A1000 bundles and studying a Queensland government bonus share scheme.
It rewards shareholders who hold their shares in the privatised state railway for 12 months.
The Nation yesterday reported Mr Ryall as saying the government is undertaking research to see what participants in the sharemarket might want the forthcoming float of four state-owned energy companies to look like.
“Clearly, if we're to have as much everyday New Zealander participation, we've got to make it as attractive as we can,” he said.
“Certainly, I think the experience in Queensland has been that it has encouraged Queenslanders to hold on to their shares longer.
“We'll be considering that over the next few months, but I wouldn’t want people to think that that is necessarily going to be a feature of the offer."
The asset sales are deeply unpopular, and have been the subject of a North Island protest hikoi and a petition seeking a citizens' initiated referendum on the sale started last week.
MightyRiverPower, a state-owned power company that owns the Mercury retail brand, is the first company on the block, with the government committing to maintain 51% majority ownership and control and preventing any other shareholder from owning more than 10% of the shares.
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Loyalty bonus, small parcel deals likely for floats - Ryall
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