3. Hon PHIL GOFF (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Do his answers to question for oral answer No. 1 yesterday mean that he has ruled out ever initiating the privatisation of Kiwibank?
Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) Link to this
My answers to question No. 1 yesterday mean that the Government has given no consideration to selling Kiwibank.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. If I had asked the Prime Minister whether he had given any consideration, that answer would have been totally appropriate. I asked whether he has ruled it out, which is a yes or no answer. It might be “No, we haven’t ruled it out, because we haven’t considered it—
Mr SPEAKERNo, no. The point of order was fair enough, but the question the Prime Minister was asked was: “Do his answers to question for oral answer No. 1 yesterday mean”—that he has ruled out something. The member has asked the Prime Minister what he meant in his answers, and the Prime Minister has told the honourable member what he meant by his answers.
Why will the Prime Minister not be honest and up front with New Zealanders about what he really wants to do in regard to privatising Kiwibank?
Forgive me; I do not like interfering in questions. But one must not imply that the Prime Minister might not have been honest. I invite the member to reword his question.
Why will the Prime Minister not be up front with New Zealanders, and simply tell them whether he wants to privatise Kiwibank?
Because no consideration has been given to selling any assets yet. But if I ever do get around to selling $9.5 billion worth, as that member did, I will let the public know.
Does the Prime Minister agree with the departing chief executive officer of Kiwibank, Sam Knowles, that it is important that Kiwibank remains in New Zealand ownership?
I think that a number of factors make Kiwibank successful. One of them has been the implied Government guarantee from the New Zealand Government.
My last answer suffices for this question—and for any others they want to go through. But I can assure the member I will not be selling the companies on the very long list I have here, because they have already been sold by the member previously.
Is the Prime Minister, then, prepared to rule out privatising Genesis Energy?
Has the Prime Minister ever discussed with members of the National Party, business people, or anybody else, his preference for privatising State-owned companies?