The government has challenged iwi groups dissatisfied with the partial asset sales plan to file any legal challenge “sooner rather than later”.
Finance minister Bill English says the Cabinet’s decision to remove Mighty River Power from the State Owned Enterprises Act is the government’s first substantive step towards the sale.
An order-in-council is being prepared to be considered by the Cabinet next Tuesday.
Prime minister John Key has not ruled out the possibility of legal challenges and Mr English is confident any such challenge would neither hurt the value of Mighty River Power nor delay the float timetable of between March and June next year.
He says the government’s advice has been that people planning to challenge the sale need to do so when the Crown takes a step towards sales and that this week’s decision should send a clear signal the government is serious about the sales.
“If there’s going to be court action, we may as well get on with it and sort it out. We’re signalling we intend to proceed and anyone who wants the opportunity will have it within the next week to take court action.”
He says anyone who decides to take court action closer to the float date would be deemed by the court to be a nuisance rather than trying to solve the issues.
“If they take this action in the next week there’s no ambiguity about it and if claimants want a fair hearing, they should take action sooner rather than later.”
Blair Cunningham
Mon, 15 Oct 2012
Mon, 15 Oct 2012
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English asks for quick court action to challenge asset sales
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