Drummond, Joshua, fl 2013: Smelter negotiations. [2013]

Shows Prime Minister John Key as a puppet on strings saying that 'Tony's just completing the smelter negotiations... Now, for the next act- the Mighty River Power Sale!'. In the background State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall is being jerked by strings pulled by Rio Tinto. The cartoonist has suggested that the government is not so much negotiating as being 'yanked around by Rio Tinto'. Refers to talks between state owned Meridian Energy and Rio Tinto, the owners of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Rio Tinto is one of the world's largest mining companies and is trying to negotiate a long-term subsidy to their power prices. Stuff has reported that: 'The smelter is New Zealand's largest electricity user, taking about 14 per cent of all electricity last year. A shutdown would flood the market with excess power and could potentially put a big dent in the profits of generators like Mighty River Power, which is about to float on the share market.' It is expected that Rio Tinto may sell the smelter, but if they close then power prices would fall flat, not encouraging the float of Mighty River Power. See Stuff, 10 April 2013.

Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).