New Zealand. Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012

Date: 2013

From: Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0026676

Description: An Air New Zealand stewardess serving passengers asks 'Coffe? Tea? Share market report? Or Prospectus?' One passenger holds a newspaper with a headline reading 'Gov't to sell off Air NZ'. The cartoonist's comment is 'Chicken or fush?' On 14 November 2013 The National Government was tipped to sell down its stake in Air New Zealand ahead of a referendum asking New Zealanders if they supported the partial sale of state-owned assets. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Doyle, Martin Maurice Michael Thomas, 1956- :Digital cartoons

By: Facebook (Firm); Scoop (Firm); Twitter Inc (Firm)

Reference: DCDL-0025835

Description: A pot of gold, according to its label, worth $30 million, is poured into the aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point. Surrounding onlookers, 'Rio Dorado', 'Tiwai', 'Meridian' and another, make comments. The anonymous person asks 'What the flamin' hell is all that yellow stuff?' 'Tiwai' replies that it is 'liquid gold from the beehive smelter' and 'Meridian' comments 'Never smelt better'. Accompanying note from cartoonist states: '$30 mil is a gilt-edged sticking plaster over a festering smelter. Still, good work if you can get it.' In August 2013, after threats from Rio Tinto ('Rio Dorado' - 'Golden River'), the majority shareholder of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, of closure, the government gave a $30 million subsidy to support the smelter, guard against any unemployment and ensure that the smelter's power supplier, Meridian Energy, would still be able to offer a reasonable share price in the upcoming partial sale of its assets. This was widely regarded as blatant corporate welfare. Published on Martin Doyle's cartoon Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-Doyle/607865899238901?ref=hl) and Twitter (Twitter@Mart_cartoons) Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Fletcher, David, 1952- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026056

Description: The Politician complains that the referendum is a very expensive way of sending a message to government. His aide retorts that 'the cheap attempt at getting your attention didn't work!' and explains that that consisted of a brick through his window. The cartoon refers to the petition and subsequent referendum against government asset sales in 2013. The reply to complaints about the cost of the referendum was that other attempts to demonstrate public opposition had been ignored. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Winter, Mark, 1958- : Digital cartoons published in the Southland Times and other papers

By: Southland times (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026164

Description: Captioned 'Treasury's bottom line' is the calculation: '[Drawing of smelter smokestack] + $30 mill = 0 !' Refers to the $30 million subsidy paid out to Rio Tinto to keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter operating. The cartoon hints that the Government was anxious to settle with Rio Tinto over the smelter before it sold Meridian Ltd which supplies the smelter's electricity that it ignored Treasury's advice and made the subsidy tax free, thus producing no benefit for New Zealand. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Fletcher, David, 1952- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026274

Description: An aide tells The Politician that the opposition do not 'like the date you've chosen to hold their referendum on'. The Politicians retorts that 'now they'll want to hold a referendum on when to hold the referendum!' Refers to the citizens-initiated referendum on asset sales which was supported by a public petition, and which was held as a postal ballot from 22 November to 13 December 2013. There were complaints that the referendum would be held only after the proposed asset sales of portions of the electricity companies had been completed. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Walker, Malcolm, 1950- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0026517

Description: An electric power cable labelled 'Meridian float' runs from power socket to another socket. A hand is poised to switch it off. Shares in the power company, Meridian, went on sale on 20 October 2013. Retail 'Mum and Dad' buyers were unenthusiastic and the government lowered the share prices to $1.50 in an effort to attract institutional investors, in effect subsidising its own company's share float. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :Digital cartoons

Reference: DCDL-0026675

Description: A couple phone the government, represented by the Beehive, and say that 'We have just got a scratch and win card in the mail and it says we've won a worry-free future!', but they are worried in case it is a scam. The voice of the government replies that it is not a scam and that 'all you need do to collect your prize is to scratch the idea of protest...while we sell off your assets!' Refers to action taken by the government in 2013 making it illegal to interfere with any structure or ship in an offshore area that is to be used in mining, with an exclusion zone of 500 metres. By November 2013 Anadarko preparing to do exploratory drilling for oil in the Tasman Basin caused a resurgence in protests. Was a 'worry free future' and sale of assets worth the loss of citizens' right to protest? Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Fletcher, David, 1952- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026683

Description: The Politician is informed by his Aide that 'The opposition are angry you chose not to wait for the result of the referendum...so you could ignore it'. The voting on the non-binding referendum on asset sales was to run from 22 November to 13 December 2013. The government, however, by 13 November 2013 had said that it would ignore the result of the referendum and would push ahead with asset sales. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Hawkey, Allan Charles, 1941- :[Digital cartoons published in the Waikato Times].

By: Waikato Times (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026767

Description: The captain of an Air New Zealand airliner warns his passengers to keep their seat belts fastened while he updates them on Air New Zealand's share price. A fall in Air New Zealand's share price provoked anger and dismay among some market players as another government asset sale left investors nursing short-term losses. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Hodgson, Trace, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0026771

Description: The Prime Minister, John Key, as a pilot of an Air New Zealand plane which is carrying a 'For Sale' sign on its fuselage, states 'This isn't a cunning plot to avoid the asset sales referendum!' His co-pilot, Steven Joyce, the Minister of Transport, adds 'Yeah, because we're not going to take any notice of it, anyway!' A bird flies with note in its bill reminding readers that the voting on the referendum starts on Friday. On 18 November 2013 the Government announced that it would sell a 20 per cent stake in Air New Zealand. On 22 November the postal referendum on the question of asset sales would close. The timing was perceived as either a ploy to divert the attention of the public from the referendum, or as simple arrogance. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Hubbard, James, 1949-: Digital caricatures and cartoons

By: Setford News Photo Agency

Reference: DCDL-0026775

Description: The Minister of Sate Owned Enterprises, Tony Ryall, dressed as an airline steward trundles his trolley, the 'Air NZ Float' down an aisle and offers a startled passenger 'Peanuts?' On 19 November 2013 investors were warned that Air New Zealand shares were considered higher risk than the shares that the Government issued to partially privatise power utilities. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Winter, Mark, 1958- : Digital cartoons published in the Southland Times and other papers

By: Southland times (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0024119

Description: The Supreme Court pours cold water on the claim of the Maori Council to water rights ('Water rites'). Refers to the rejection of the Maori Council water rights claim under the Treaty of Waitangi, which would have affected the proposed sale of shares in the Mighty River electric power enterprise. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Slane, Christopher, 1957-: Digital cartoons published in the Listener, New Zealand Herald, or New Zealand Farmers' Weekly

By: Listener (Periodical)

Reference: DCDL-0024201

Description: The Prime Minister is a playing piece on a boardgame 'Asset Monopoly', with 'Chance' cards and monopoly money, who jumps from one square to the next. Two other pieces, 'Mum' and 'Dad', are on the board but inactive. With the playing of the 'Get out of the Supreme Court Free' card, the asset sale programme was begun. However the Government had landed on 'Chance' square, whose relevant card reads 'Coal price slumps. Bailout needed'. Hence the cry of 'Oops!' Solid Energy, a State Owned Enterprise and one that was to be involved in partial privatisation, suffered badly from the drop in international coal prices and required a large bail-out of public funds. This slowed down the initial enthusiasm for the asset sales. The other two pieces refer to the hypothetical 'Mum and Dad' investors who were supposed to buy shares in the assets released for sale. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DCDL-0024291

Description: In reply to a demand by the Green Party co-leader, Russel Norman, for assurance that people's savings will not be taken to bail out banks as was happening in Cyprus, Steven Joyce replies that the government would first sell off all their other assets. The financial crisis in Cyprus, where accounts in banks were taxed, could be followed in New Zealand. However, the government was already raising money by selling off public assets. Colour and black and white versions available Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Fletcher, David, 1952- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0024210

Description: 'The Politician' cartoon strip. The Politician is informed that a petition calling for a referendum is in his office. He cannot ignore the petition since it fills the whole room. The timing of the strip suggests that the cartoonist is referring to the petition demanding a referendum on asset sales. The Prime Minister's response that he would ignore it may not be practical because of the petition's size. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Fletcher, David, 1952- :Digital cartoons

By: Dominion post (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0024776

Description: 'The Politician' cartoon strip. The Politician asks his staff member to tell the organisers of a petition, even if it is short by 16,000 names, to hold a referendum. The government is planning on ignoring the results of such a referendum. The petition, organised by the Green and Labour parties, calling for a referendum on asset sales fell short of the required number of names. Since the government, on past form, would ignore the results of any ensuing referendum, the insistence on the validity of a petition for a referendum seemed to many to be pointless. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Murdoch, Sharon Gay, 1960-: Digital cartoons published in The Press, Sunday Star Times, Dominion Post, and other publications

By: Dominion post (Newspaper); Murdoch, Sharon Gay, 1960-

Reference: DCDL-0024809

Description: Titled 'Living the dream', an old woman is shown, shivering beneath her blanket, and with electric heat and light disconnected, watching a television on which an advertiser urges her to 'Buy your shares in Mighty River Power now!' In April 2013, shares in the partially privatised Mighty River Power electrical generation company were on sale to 'Mum and Dad' i.e. small time, investors. Whether such putative investors would be able to afford shares, particularly when electric power prices were rising rapidly, leading to cases of hardship, was doubtful. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Murdoch, Sharon Gay, 1960-: Digital cartoons published in The Press, Sunday Star Times, Dominion Post, and other publications

By: Dominion post (Newspaper); Murdoch, Sharon Gay, 1960-

Reference: DCDL-0024805

Description: The Mighty River Power shareholder is the Hydra, injured by a hammer and sickle attack, but whose multiple heads are still alive and angry. Mighty River Power shares reduced in value during April 2013 after the Labour, Green and New Zealand First parties proposed to buy back the shares once in government. The hammer and sickle suggests that these proposals were communistic. The mythical Hydra grew a new head each time one was cut off; thus the opposition could not kill the semi-privatisation of Mighty River Power. 'Hydra' also puns with Hydro-electric power, the product of that company. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Winter, Mark, 1958- : Digital cartoons published in the Southland Times and other papers

By: Southland times (Newspaper)

Reference: DCDL-0024765

Description: Around a dartboard, titled 'MAYhem face the MUSIC Month', are asset sales, spying, Labour-Greens power proposal, Gilmore, Dotcom, GCSB and Banks. May 2013 had been billed as a month for the promotion of New Zealand music. For the National government that month was notable for the crises, mistakes, embarrassments and bad news which had accumulated over the year. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Date: 2013

From: Nisbet, Alastair, 1958- :Digital cartoons

By: Press (Christchurch, N.Z.)

Reference: DCDL-0024813

Description: A dam labelled 'No assets sales petition' has been breached, and a tide of assets are pouring through the gap. Russel Norman, David Shearer and a representative of Grey Power witness the disaster. Russel Norman says 'Never build a dam without an engineer's report!' In May 2013, the petition calling for a Citizens Initiated Referendum on asset sales, organised by the Green and Labour parties and other organisations such as Grey Power, was rejected by Parliament and asset sales proceeded. The petition had less than the 200,000 signatures and a further 16,000 signatures were needed. Inadequate collection and signature checking by the petitioners was responsible. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).