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WELLINGTON - Grey Power has warned the National Party it won't win next year's election if it intends selling state-owned assets.
"Nobody will be naive enough to believe that this is not going to be a step to full privatisation," said Graham Stairmand, national president of the politically powerful organisation which represents pensioners.
"This will seal the fate of the National Party ... Labour will be rubbing their hands with glee."
The Government and other political parties have also criticised National since its deputy leader, Bill English, said at the weekend his party was looking at the partial sale of some state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
He said a National-led government would favour a mixed ownership model and suggested selling 20 per cent of SOEs would give people good investment opportunities.
Mr Stairmand said efficiencies had been promised when power companies were privatised but 15 years on consumers were struggling to pay their electricity bills.
"Even the more astute of the affluent consumers are now querying the unjustified increases in prices," he said.
Prime Minister Helen Clark promised on Monday a Labour-led government would not sell any SOEs and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said yesterday that his party would never yield on the issue.
Acting Finance Minister Clayton Cosgrove on Tuesday accused National of wanting to sell assets to pay for tax cuts, which he said would be "economic vandalism".
- NZPA
