Will’s Word: Time to consider privatisation to free up resources?

There is talk of privatisation back in the headlines. It's been a while.

David Seymour, if you missed it, mentioned it in his State of the Nation speech just a few days ago and now the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he's open to the idea at the next election.

And you know what? I'm not mad about it. David Seymour's call to get past the squeamishness about privatisation I reckon is actually a timely one and it opens up a frank conversation that we need to have.

With the Government owning over half a trillion dollars in assets, Seymour argues it's worth asking are we getting the best return? If not, selling some of these assets could free up money for things that matter more.

And I agree with that sentiment. Let's take housing for example, the elusive housing. Now the Government owns a lot of public housing, right? But it's not always able to meet demand.

We know that time and time again and it finds it difficult, frankly, keeping things running efficiently.

Listen to Nick Leggett, Infrastructure NZ CEO on privatisation

We always hear of problems when it comes to public housing. So instead of building more, this is just a suggestion and I'm sure I'll cop heat for it, but maybe it's time to let private developers take over.

There are some agencies or some assets that frankly I think could do better free of the Government. Is it the Government's place to be running such assets?

Now this is on a case by case basis. I'm not saying sell the whole catalogue, but underperforming agencies or agencies that could perhaps be done better by the private sector, we should be having a more frank and honest conversation about.

I remember the absolute heist of asset sales during the John Key era. People marching through the streets saying no to selling our assets.

I think I was one of those people actually. And I was young. I was around 11 or 12.

Anyway, I digress. Now that I know what I know in terms of we need to be getting more bang for buck, I'm not against the idea of privatising some emphasis on some assets that could be done better by private business perhaps.

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So here's also a point that I want to make.

New Zealand doesn't have to choose between public and private. That's not the argument I want to have. I think it's about balance.

Selling off assets that aren't working is a smart way to free up resources for the things that really matter.

Helping New Zealand ultimately stay competitive and even, without sounding cliché, maybe having a stronger future.

That's Will's Word.