Exchange

The gaping hole in my recent commentary has, it has occurred to me recently, been on the topic of asset sales, as proposed in National's Mixed Ownership Model Bill.

I am totally opposed to the Mixed Ownership Model Bill.  It makes no sense at all, and has been so seriously debunked and discredited, it is appalling that it can be supported by a majority in parliament.
Having given up on the economic arguments, because they don't stack up at all, National's supporters who have the stomach to try and defend them on this issue are left with "Labour did it too" and "Labour won't commit to buying back the assets".  Both of these are fairly weak arguments.
"Labour did it too" only is true if we look back to the 1980s, when Labour were over-run by ACT.  Labour were voted out for their bad behaviour.  So too will National be voted out, at the next election, due to their bad behaviour.  They are too late to change their minds without a massive loss of face.  The best they can do, in the face of a massive opposition to the policy, is hold the sale process until after the next election.
"Labour won't commit to buying the assets back" is disingenuous, coming from a party whose leader cannot commit on gay marriage and does not remember where he stood on the Springbok Tour (I was under ten and I remember clearly what my opinions were).

The Mixed Ownership Model Bill, if passed into law, is an act of treason, and everyone who votes in favour should be tried.

Massive Attack - Mezzanine, 1998

UPDATE - And due to the strength of my opinion on the matter, I wrote to my local MP, who is a member of the National Party, and expressed my opposition in the strongest terms.  Having seen the quality of the questions he has asked in Parliament, I expect at best a dim-witted response.