Prime Minister: Now is the time to start the conversation on asset recycling

Responding to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s comments in the Sunday Star Times that New Zealand needs a more mature conversation about asset sales, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:

“Hanging on to underperforming assets makes no sense. Why put off conversations we need to start having now?”

“Treasury’s latest Investment Statement makes the need for this national conversation obvious. Many state-owned commercial assets don’t even have a basic objective for why they’re still in government hands. That lack of strategy leaves us trailing our international peers, so it’s no wonder taxpayers are getting such poor returns.”

“State ownership of many assets seems to be little more than an accident of history, with no serious discussion about whether it should continue. Treasury deserves credit for its ongoing work to clarify what’s worth keeping.”

“The Government needs to strengthen its balance sheet and overall finances. Working with Treasury to identify assets with weak or no rationale for continued ownership is a necessary step toward that.”