Public ownership report claims benefits over privatisation in New Zealand

A new report released by the coalition Public Futures Aotearoa argues that public ownership is more cost-effective and beneficial for workers and essential services than privatisation. The report, titled “How public ownership saves money, protects workers and delivers better services”, examines decades of privatisation experiences both in New Zealand and internationally, including case studies on the banking, electricity, and rail sectors.

Spokesperson Edward Miller stated that privatised sectors like banking and electricity are central to the current cost of living crisis, noting that private shareholders receive dividends while communities struggle. The report criticizes current trends, such as the outsourcing of elective surgeries to private hospitals, the sale of land and houses by Kāinga Ora, and the potential partial privatisation of KiwiBank.

Kerri Nuku of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation expressed concern that privatisation siphons public funds away from universal services. She noted that in the health sector, resources are being shifted to private hospitals for routine procedures, which can leave public facilities overcrowded and understaffed. The report concludes by proposing a 21st-century public ownership model for New Zealand that upholds environmental standards, transparency, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.