Sharon Brett-Kelley

The former Auckland mayor, Labour minister and ambassador puts his points on the podcast Cross Party Lines.

The pro-asset salespeople say we've moved on since the disastrous past sell-offs of the so-called family silver, and another phrase has emerged.

It's touted as the fix for our infrastructure deficit.

Is this just a rebranding just, you know, because it's a bit more palatable or is there actually any difference between asset recycling and asset sales?

Given the oil shock that we're in at the moment and the impact on our economy and with the budget coming up later this month, are you expecting any kind of announcement on any sort of asset sale or asset recycling?

Asset sales, it's already going on, as you said.

You know, Kainga Ora has been selling properties recently.

Do you get a sense where you are that this is purely ideological, that people take a strong stance on it, on asset sales or asset recycling, and they just stick with it?

Or do you get a sense that things might be less rigid?

If you want to know more of Janae's comments about the bond buying and selling, read my story about it on RNZ's website.

We'll be getting an update on the size of the government debt in the May 28 budget announcement.

But last count, our annual interest bill was $8.9 billion.

That's why Greg Smith says we need to get cracking on asset sales.

He's an investment specialist at Generate KiwiSaver.

Talking about Pamu and the farms, who would be a buyer there?

I mean, would you just open it up to the best bidder?

KiwiRail, I mean, last time it happened, Greg, it was a disaster.

But that's the thing.

How can we be sure it isn't done badly?

And also, how can we be sure that the next owner, you know, is going to run it better?