Q+A – 1 July 2012

On Q+A this Sunday, National has set itself ten targets to reform the public sector in five years – is it a gimmick or a bold challenge? And with the asset sales legislation passed, is more public sector reform the right focus? What about our stagnant private sector?

Finance Minister – and Deputy Prime Minister – Bill English is live from our Wellington studio. He’ll speak to TVNZ Political Editor Corin Dann in Corin’s Q+A debut.

And the right to die. Is it time for a re-think? As a major anti-euthanasia conference is held in Auckland this weekend, we’ll consider the pros and cons. Alex Schadenberg, International Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, will debate Labour MP Maryan Street, who’s drafting a new law to allow ‘end of life choice’. And we’ll cross to South Africa to Dr Sean Davison, who was convicted in New Zealand last year after assisting in his terminally ill mother’s suicide. What does it mean to make the hardest decision?

And finally, those asset sales. With Mighty River Power about to go on the block we talk to Mark Lister, Head of Private Wealth Research at Craigs Investment Partners. Will the SOEs be a good buy for mum and dads? Or are there fish hooks?

Joining Greg Boyed and Dr Raymond Miller of Auckland University on the panel this week are Massey University Vice-Chancellor and former Labour cabinet minister Steve Maharey and Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Barnett.

Broadcast on TV 1 at 9 am