S.O.Es or State Owned Enterprises are the topic of the month. The Solid Energy fiasco is an S.O.E. We hear at length of the refusal of the invisible ex-CEO but still on salary, to appear before the Parliamentary Committee.
What does the Minister of State Owned Enterprises do in the exercise of his responsibility in this area? Who appoints the Board of these enterprises? Who appoints the CEO? It would appear that once these Enterprises are established, they are autonomous bodies under the direction of the CEO and a nominated Board.
Why is it that of the owner, the State as represented by the Minister, of this Enterprise seems to have no ability to provide the balance and checks that is supposed to be the essence of a democracy? In this case of Solid Energy it will be the taxpayer who will foot the bill for this classic case of mismanagement. It would seem that neither the Minister nor the Parliamentary Committee is willing to do what they are charged to do.
It is worth giving a thought to the case of Mighty River Power. Here is another S.O.E. When the majority member of the Government decided to sell 49% of it they claimed 'they had a mandate to do it because it was in their electioneering platform.” The fact that the Party did not win even 50% of the votes cast, means nothing. It does indicate though that John Key and his Minister of State Owned Enterprises can and do take initiative action on an S.O.E. when the circumstances suit them. Oh that they had done so with Solid Energy.
We are witnessing a slow but continual erosion of the rights of the ordinary taxpaying citizen in this country of New Zealand. The tragedy is, it is being led by our own elected and unelected leaders.

John Mathews, Mt Maunganui.