Winston Peters Misinformed

  • Bill Birch
Treasurer

Winston Peters was misinformed in alleging that a company headed by former National Party leader Jim McLay will be paid $12-24 million in commission on the Contact Energy sale, Treasurer Bill Birch said today. "No payment, commission or otherwise, will be paid by the Government to Mr McLay or to Macquarie New Zealand Limited, a company headed by Mr McLay. There is no truth whatsoever in Mr Peters' suggestion," he said. "Mr McLay and Macquarie acted for Edison Mission Energy, not they Government, in this matter.

They were Edison Mission Energy's commercial advisor on valuation information. Any payment they get comes from Edison.

"The Government's advisor is ABN Amro Rothschild. Mr McLay has no association with that company.The successful bidder won the contract because they offered the taxpayer the highest price, and for no other reason."