MEL - Meridian Energy

[Jay]

My thoughts exactly Xerof

I wonder how people will vote No that did not vote in th election - can't complain can they, bet there are a few or more

[amalgam]

have to agree.
I voted national not for their asset sales but that was always a well stated by product for voting for them(no hidden agenda there)
By voting in this referedum you are acknowledging it's very exsistance and the need for one.
I wont be voting as this is my way of acknowledging there is no need for one.

Which gives you exactly the same result as as the majority who are not making a stand, but cant be bothered voting......why not a yes vote to say u..p. you to the Greens/Labour

[warthog]

Which gives you exactly the same result as as the majority who are not making a stand, but cant be bothered voting......why not a yes vote to say u..p. you to the Greens/Labour

The hog wonders why there are so many people here who are so obviously miffed by politicians doing what politicians do: proclaiming this and that, claiming to represent this and the other. Whatever.

So chuck your televisions and newspapers away (websites includes), and examine your emotional reaction to referendum questions like this.

Because it is emotional. All this "up yours" and so forth. It's like some kid is teasing you at school and they've got your goat.

Relax a little. Consider the referendum for what it is: a chance for you to have an opinion recorded, whatever it is.

Don't get the hog wrong. There are plenty of smart people here who have been around at least as long as the hog, and probably a few with a healthier net worth to boot, but you Johnny-come-latelies make fools of yourself regularly by being so offended by every last thing.

The hog voted No this time around. Why? Because these assets represent a MASSIVE investment by people who have come before us, for the befit of those that come after them, and they didn't make this sacrifice so a small group of people could make excessive amounts of money from the sale of such assets, and have their investment translated into increases in already overweight private coffers.

But those who invested in MRP and Meridian are underwater, the hog hears in chorus. Yes, but that's not who's going to be making money out of this programme.

Surely that's obvious to everybody here (well, maybe not?).

[Grimy]

Well said Warthog. Agree entirely.

[Stu]

...Where does that trillion dollar figure come from? I didn't know our water was gold-plated!

Obviously if that is your guiding principle for fairness and prosperity, then you couldn't stop at the billions we have in debt to own these assets, govt would need to acquire all electricity infrastructure, and as the govt was running it at a loss it would be impossible for private companies to participate anyway.
But you couldn't stop there in fairness, because poor people have to pay for oil and gas, for food production and supply, for entertainment, and so on, and all of these are owned by nasty corporations and nasty johnny foreigners and are run for profit. Supposedly if the state acquired, at the cost of trillions (doesn't matter how much as apparently it's a money making machine), all these essentials and ran them centrally all our problems would be solved? I wonder if anyone has ever tried this?

As for the referendum, it's another cynical ploy by Green Labour in an attempt to get into power, whatever the cost.

[vorno]

Name of the game, vote yes,put a middle-finger in the envelope & bury your head in the sand!

[Daytr]

' The hog voted No this time around. Why? Because these assets represent a MASSIVE investment by people who have come before us, for the befit of those that come after them, and they didn't make this sacrifice so a small group of people could make excessive amounts of money from the sale of such assets, and have their investment translated into increases in already overweight private coffers. '

Very nicely put Warthog!

[vorno]

' The hog voted No this time around. Why? Because these assets represent a MASSIVE investment by people who have come before us, for the befit of those that come after them, and they didn't make this sacrifice so a small group of people could make excessive amounts of money from the sale of such assets, and have their investment translated into increases in already overweight private coffers. '

Very nicely put Warthog!

If you want National, vote yes.
If you want Labour/Greens, vote no.

Personal Opinions won't feature with the result. We all know what the outcome is going to be anyway.

See, politics is simple!

[Daytr]

Stu, how is it cynical to give the nation a better deal on power? Or are you saying it is cynical as you think they will never carried it out?
Far right or far left agendas never work, there needs to be a balance of both for policy to work for the greater good. What we are seeing under Key is very right wing policy which benefits a few. The future of NZ is in sustainability, not short term make a buck schemes. The Greens love them or hate them are trying to protect what most people in NZ love, the environment such as the bush & ocean most people enjoy. Once it is gone or damaged its usually permanent. Have a look on the Forest & Bird or DOC websites to see how many of species of bird in NZ is on the endangered list & how many have become extinct in the last 50 or so years. NZ is losing its clean green image rapidly overseas & if it continues our tourism, a sustainable industry will feel the brunt.

Obviously if that is your guiding principle for fairness and prosperity, then you couldn't stop at the billions we have in debt to own these assets, govt would need to acquire all electricity infrastructure, and as the govt was running it at a loss it would be impossible for private companies to participate anyway.
But you couldn't stop there in fairness, because poor people have to pay for oil and gas, for food production and supply, for entertainment, and so on, and all of these are owned by nasty corporations and nasty johnny foreigners and are run for profit. Supposedly if the state acquired, at the cost of trillions (doesn't matter how much as apparently it's a money making machine), all these essentials and ran them centrally all our problems would be solved? I wonder if anyone has ever tried this?

As for the referendum, it's another cynical ploy by Green Labour in an attempt to get into power, whatever the cost.

[warthog]

If you want National, vote yes.
If you want Labour/Greens, vote no.

Personal Opinions won't feature with the result. We all know what the outcome is going to be anyway.

See, politics is simple!

No, your summary is simplistic.

The hog doesn't want National/tail-wag-the-dog OR Labour/Green. Much rather have the hog as benevolent dictator.

People see John Key as a bit of a simpleton and the hog must concede that there is much about the man that gives this impression.

However, when faced with certain audiences, the hog has noted, he doesn't pronounce NZ "Noo Zild" but, interestingly-enough says "New Zealand".

Key is a smart player. Smarter than most give him credit for. He is a political chameleon that changes his colours often, appealing to many different segments of voter.

But he is a dangerous politician. Dangerous with a capital D. For pretty much everyone except a small group of people (local and foreign). That includes traditional National voters, farmers, owners of business, workers, etc. Everybody.

TPP is but one example of what Key and others would be very happy to see implemented.

So, as Douglas, Prebble, Hyde and Banks have fooled many hard-working New Zealanders into thinking ACT was a party of the people (the hog met a few of them, who made the Jehovah's Witnesses look like rational atheists) with some measure of generous and honest intent, so Key, the "self-made man", has National voters thinking that he represents their interests.

Oil. Mining. Fracking. Pollution. Asset squandering.

Key is only just getting going.

And remember who he visited at home and told, the evening before the National party leadership contest between English and Brash, that he was backing English for the leadership?

None other than Bill himself.

Nice guy.