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People opposed to the Government’s plans to sell state-owned assets signed the petition to force a referendum on the controversial subject in Tauranga on Monday.
The Green Party’s Keep Our Assets road show will be at Red Square from 11am to 1.30pm, where MP Denise Roach will be meeting volunteers and supporters and collecting signatures for the Save Our Assets campaign.
Road show coordinator Sarah Munro says the purpose is for the MPs to connect with the “huge number” of Green Party volunteers that are collecting signatures for the petition.
“It’s an opportunity for the MPs to show their support for the people working with the petitions.”
The road show was at Mount Maunganui on Sunday where MP Catherine Delahunty met with volunteers and raised awareness of the petition.
Catherine says there was a lot of really good support.
“It was excellent; very positive.
“A lot of people were lining up saying they would like to sign.”
Catherine says the majority of people thought there should be a referendum, not necessarily because they were opposed, but because they thought the public should have a say.
She says between Thames and Tauranga between 800-1000 signatures had been collected.
“It was very worthwhile being out there.”
The Keep Our Assets road show, designed to raise public awareness about the citizens initiated referendum petition to stop asset sales, is touring North Island towns and cities this month.
Green Party co-leader Dr Russel Norman says the campaign has started really well.
“Tens of thousands of New Zealanders have already signed the petition to force a referendum on keeping our assets.
Russel says more than 350,000 signatures are needed to force a referendum on the issue.
“We know that the majority of New Zealanders oppose the sales, but we need to get signatures from all over the country to make the referendum happen.
“Every town and city in New Zealand can play a part in getting to the 350,000 target. When we visit we will be meeting with supporters and volunteers to set up ongoing petition collection in Tauranga.
“We will be collecting signatures on the street when we visit and will be available to the public to discuss the referendum.
“We will also be asking for support from local businesses to host the petition in their shops. A large number of businesses have agreed to host the petition because they also want the assets kept in public ownership.”
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Posted on 10-07-2012 14:31 | By TERMITE
The dividends the Government receives now are more than the interest to be saved, long term the cost of power will rise as a consequence of the part sale, the same happened with the local power companies, expecially when overseas ownership got into it, the end result is easily predicted here, it is known. The motive then mucst be for some other reason, i.e. reduce debt initially only so as another spendup can happen, the boys get their toys in other words.