Yesterday at Waitangi the Greens launched a petition campaign to oppose the government's plans to asset strip the country and sell our electricity generators and national airline into foreign hands. Quite apart from being morally objectionable, a theft from the New Zealand public, the financial case for asset sales doesn't add up. They yield more in dividends than we pay in interest on our debt. So privatising them means we lose money on the deal.
So, if you oppose this mad plan, you can sign the Greens' petition here [PDF]. You know the story: print it, sign it, get your friends to sign it, then post it back (free!) to Parliament. While Key has said he will ignore any public opposition to his policies (apparently his commitment to democracy doesn't extend to actually listening to the people), we should take that as a challenge. Signing this petition is an explicit threat to the National Government: if you do this, we will de-elect you. The more people who sign it, the bigger that threat will be. And while Key is talking tough, at the end of the day he wants to get re-elected and keep getting his fat PM's salary - and if he doesn't, other members of his party certainly do.
So, threaten the government by democratic means, and do your bit to keep it kiwi.
