David Shearer on Asset Sales, John Banks and Transparency

Tuesday, 31 July 2012, 12:26 pm
Article: Mark P. Williams

This morning Labour Leader David Shearer gave his responses to the Waitangi Tribunal decision and the and Banks-Dotcom verdict.

Mr Shearer said that he thought that the decision of the Waitangi Tribunal would mean the government's assets sales plan would have to be delayed. He added that the situation meant there would now inevitably be significant costs to the taxpayer which could have been avoided if the assets were not being sold.

On John Banks, Mr Shearer said that the reason John Banks was unable to remember was because he knew that if he could remember anything then he would place himself in jeopardy, suggesting that Mr Banks had been advised to "forget". Mr Shearer added that the Local Government Act needed much greater transparency and said he would welcome measures which would bring it in line with the regulations on national government.

Mr Shearer was also asked his thoughts on the resumption of sporting links between Fiji and Australian and New Zealand. He responded that he felt it might help provide an impetus to progress toward democracy.

Asked what he felt about former Labour Chief of Staff Gordon-Jon Thompson going to work for SkyCity and what he thought the odds of Labour being the next governmet said that Mr Thompson was a private individual and laughed at the idea of it indicating SkyCity favouring Labour, reminding the gallery of his party's position on pokie machines.

Returning to the subject of assets sales and the Waitangi Tribunal verdict, Mr Shearer emphasised that his concern with costs was not over the legal delays but with the assets share loyalty scheme and possible compensation in the future, saying that the taxpayer would be covering the financial risks of the shareholders for years to come.

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