Auckland International Airport Limited (AIA)

[CJ]

I wish the Canadian's could sue our Government over this. Fair enough if they had pushed this through immediately when the Dubai bid was lodged, but they wait until just over a week before the offer is about to close.

Exactly.

If they want to have assets which must remain in the NZ hands, why not produce a list so we know which companies not to invest in. If this ends up like AIRNZ (which I dont think it will), I am going to be very annoyed.

[spook]

Well done labour! Excellent move, that I fully support. Who here would own a house and happily sell their front gate and driveway to the next door neighbour?

It's amazing all the pseudo political bull**** that some people start spouting when they have lost money on the stockmarket.

It's the stock market people, not the "it's my right to make money or I'll cry" market.

Whether you think we're a bunch of sore losers or not Ross, the government has changed the rules halfway through the game. The ABs would be pretty sore if the ref changed the rules at half time to suit the other side, and so are we. If they didn't want AIA sold, they've had nearly a year to say so.

The Labour Govt in the 70s put on a rent freeze because they didn't like landlords making money, and all the landlords sold up and went elsewhere, causing a huge shortage of rental properties. That's what happens when people who don't understand meddle in a free market!!! Roll on October

[Tanger]

Although this latest Government move may have spelled the end of the road for the Canadian bid, shareholders should still vote on the two issues at hand. I would personally like to see them now get the 40% they need and the majority vote to hold those 40% and then force the Government to actually take a position. By failing to get across the line, the Government doesn't have to rule, and therefore they can stand behind the old line "we don't know which way we would have ruled".

I'm now voting yes to both issues and would like to see the Government be forced into having to make a call. That way, at least other overseas investors will know where they stand with our Government (at least this week before they pass some more retrospective legislation and change the playing field again).

[troyvdh]

Ross...I think your missing the point.Time and time again this outfit has displayed an arrogance and naked hatred to those who make dosh.And for those who put there dosh at risk.
They are hypocrites in the extreme.A year ago comrade helen said (when the unions were asking for a min of 5%).."huh they dont need a payrise ..we are going to give it to them"..they Know best you see.This year prick cullen called for employers to pay more !!!!!
Ironically here in NZ the harder you work the more tax you pay !!!! no surprise then our productivty is getting WORSE every year..and yet no capital gains !!!! and this is supposedly a LABOUR govt.

And to top this off they gleefully take heaps of dosh of a NZ tax aviodant twit in Monaco !

Yep this lot are the true gems.

[voltage]

is AIA a screaming buy today?????

[macduffy]

Good point, Tanger.
If shareholders feel strongly about this they should force the government to actually exercise the ministers' veto.
Although I strongly object to this meddling ( I was a Telecom holder too and the govt. didn't offer to buy us out of that one either when they changed the rules mid-game), I'd have to say that this latest move only brings us more into line with other countries who " protect " their key assets. Think of Australia and Woodside/Shell etc.

Meanwhile, I'm looking hard at adding to my AIA holding.

[The Great Gold Guru]

AIA was the cornerstone of my portfolio about a year or so back but I was desperate to get into gold stocks so sold when the stock jumped over $3 on the first bid approaches. If the Canadians think the long term is so rosy and are prepared to pay $3.59 then I will trust their judgement and say that at $2.18 the stock again should be bought. I have just purchased 20,000 shares at $2.17 for the long term. Feels good to again be a shareholder. National will romp home later this year , I voted Labour 3 years ago, will be ticking the "blue box" this time round.

[warthog]

Some of those here with their knee-jerk reactions to what the government have done might pause for reflection.

The hog is somewhat endeared to free markets, but there are instances in which it makes no sense at all to let the market hold sway and hand over control over strategic assets to a party that only has purely economic interests.

It is a wide topic, to be sure, but intuitively the hog posits that most kiwis would - on balance - prefer that key assets be kept in at least local ownership. Sometimes, this is a trade-off against a larger business and improved economic "performance".

So just a suggestion to reflect a bit on the larger picture, of NZ as part of a global economic system and recognition of the fact that the current way the global economy is organised, ownership dictates control.

@Spook: there is always a game going on somewhere, so the government can always be accused of shifting the goalposts. Realistically-speaking, how often does this happen? Not much.

@RossT: nice analogue - it is about control.

disc: the hog is a politically-unaligned voter.

[The Great Gold Guru]

Fresh announcement out ... Canadians stressing they only want to be minority shareholders ... bit of luck they may just bid something like $3 for 19.9% and be done with it , no reason why they couldn't get to 19.9% without Govt intervention is there ?? ... at 218 the stock looks good value to me. BUY.

[BRICKS]

Some of those here with their knee-jerk reactions to what the government have done might pause for reflection.

The hog is somewhat endeared to free markets, but there are instances in which it makes no sense at all to let the market hold sway and hand over control over strategic assets to a party that only has purely economic interests.

It is a wide topic, to be sure, but intuitively the hog posits that most kiwis would - on balance - prefer that key assets be kept in at least local ownership. Sometimes, this is a trade-off against a larger business and improved economic "performance".

So just a suggestion to reflect a bit on the larger picture, of NZ as part of a global economic system and recognition of the fact that the current way the global economy is organised, ownership dictates control.

@Spook: there is always a game going on somewhere, so the government can always be accused of shifting the goalposts. Realistically-speaking, how often does this happen? Not much.

@RossT: nice analogue - it is about control.

disc: the hog is a politically-unaligned voter.

THE HOG still talking CRAP about NOTHING..............