23 Jan 2012

Asset sales still expected to raise forecast amount

8:47 am on 23 January 2012

Prime Minister John Key is still confident that state asset sales will raise the money that has been forecast.

The Government has earmarked Genesis, Meridian, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy for partial sale.

It's expected to generate between $5 - 7 billion and New Zealanders will own 85% - 90% of the shares.

Mr Key told Morning Report that despite the fact it will be a difficult 12 - 24 months because of factors such as the weaker international economy, asset sales should generate the income they expect.

In the end though, he said, New Zealand is a cork bobbing in the ocean.

But Mr Key said the Government is still on track to get back into surplus by 2014 or 2015.

However, Mr Key said equity markets have performed very well in the past three years.

An example of this was Fairfax's partial sale of Trade Me, which was three times oversubscribed.