Both the media and the public need to look deeper than the carefully constructed sound bites coming from the government on its asset sales plan, because the long term consequences for New Zealand are massive.

In effect John Key has, by resurrecting a failed strategy from our past, signaled that he and his government have no idea how to grow the economy and demonstrated that National’s ideological views are driving its decisions without reference to the reality of the situation we find ourselves in.

There are a limited number of arguments in favour of asset sales and so far that’s what most of the media is picking up on. But let’s ask the serious questions about what sits behind such a move for New Zealand’s economy, and how it may affect our society. read more »