Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 12 June 2012. Volume:680;Page:2806. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
8. 
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for State Owned Enterprises 
: Is it his understanding that the Prime Minister is still committed to his policy of partial asset sales in Mighty River Power Genesis Power Meridian Energy Solid Energy and Air New Zealand? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister for State Owned Enterprises) 
: 
 Yes the Government remains committed to its policy of minority share offers in the mentioned enterprises but as indicated from the outset this is subject to market conditions. Although the member may have various reasons why this policy should not proceed I would want to emphasise that this policy is important for a number of reasons the most important being controlling our debt and protecting New Zealand from the worsening European and international debt crisis that fills our television news screens every night.  
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does he agree with the Prime Minister who on Radio Live yesterday said that he abandoned the increase in class sizes because “It’s pretty obvious that we weren’t winning that public debate.”; if so will he follow that same criterion and abandon State asset sales given that more than 80 percent of New Zealanders are opposed to those sales? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Yes; and no.  
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Given that his colleague the Minister of Education stated on  
Campbell Live 
 this past Thursday that the increase in class sizes was abandoned because “This was a trade-off people were not prepared to make.” will he reconsider the policy of partial asset sales in Mighty River Power Genesis Energy Meridian Energy Solid Energy and Air New Zealand? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: No. It is imperative that New Zealand take action to control its debt. The Government has a plan to ensure that and part of that is to sell minority shares in these State-owned enterprises. If we do not control our debt then New Zealand’s future will not be as successful as it could be.  
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: What reports has he received on the previous Government in 2007 adopting the mixed-ownership model for State-owned energy companies and selling 49 percent of the shares in Spring Creek Mine Ltd for tens of millions of dollars all to a foreign-owned multinational company called Cargill Coal a policy that was described by the then Labour Government as innovative— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Members are meant to ask questions not make speeches.  
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I found that question most interesting because I have heard from the people opposite that they would not want to do anything like that. But it seems that when they are in Government it is a completely different story.  
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: To the Minister—[ 
Interruption 
]  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I apologise—[ 
Interruption 
] Order! I want to hear the Hon Clayton Cosgrove’s supplementary question. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Too much starch in the Y-fronts possibly.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does he consider it acceptable that as noted on the public record his officials from Treasury wrote the departmental report on submissions on the Mixed Ownership Model Bill prior to submissions being fully heard? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I am aware that after the departmental report was received the committee heard I think 10 oral submissions nine of which were based on written submissions that were considered for the departmental report. I think the Finance and Expenditure Committee has done a very fine consideration of the bill and I thank all members for the very studious way that they have dealt with this bill.  
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Was the Finance and Expenditure Committee acting on his instructions while considering the Mixed Ownership Model Bill—in particular when Government members gave inadequate time for consideration and deliberation and when National MPs were disrespectful to submitters including one who demanded to know the voting intention of a submitter? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Far be it from me to instruct the members of the Finance and Expenditure Committee some of whom are in the Labour Party the Green Party and all sorts of other parties.