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国会财经委员会的政府议员已拒绝调查银行利率提案。
财经委员会的工党和绿党成员一直提议进行调查，并在此前似乎一度得到委员会中政府议员的支持。
新西兰的银行利率，特别是浮动利率调整相对官方贴现率的削减止步不前。人民本指望国会就此给出解释，“奇怪的是，本来所有迹象都表明一切会顺利行进，国家党、 行动党和毛利党却投了反对票，拒绝委员会的调查。“工党财政事务发言人大卫•康利 夫（Hon David Cunliffe）说。
“数以千计的新西兰屋主，公司，农场主以及出口商有权知道，为什么反对票会占上风，让国会在经济问题上的监督者们一声不吭。
“人们的房贷和商业贷款利率实在太高了，如今国会甚至不给他们机会，找出问题所在。”
财经委员会的其他工党议员同样对国家党与会议员表示了批评。布连登·伯恩斯 （Brendon Burns）称，上月基督城的一个公众会议上，约翰基（John Key）表示， 银行本可以稍微多做点努力，降低利率。“这暗示说国家党最高层支持对银行进行适 当监督。”然而随后财政部长比尔·英格里希（ Bill English）却开始在国会上替银行说话。“当被问及动机何在时，他承认各银行和他有过联络。”布连登说。
工党税收事务发言人斯图厄特· 纳什（Stuart Nash）表示，银行利率调查本可以提供给银 行一个机会，就公众对现有利率正当性的怀疑做出合理解释。“目前来看，一个很流行的观点认为，银行为了预防不良贷款，一直维持高收益。而国人却得为他们的高收益买单，”斯图厄特· 纳什说。
霍建强议员（Raymond Huo）说， 财经委员会表决的结果也许让银行开心，但是工党议员们会坚持他们的质疑。 “我们会定期和储蓄银行对话，持续施压，看各银行是否在利率问题上是否遵循公平的游戏规则。” 霍议员表示。
联系大卫康利夫 David Cunliffe021 377 337
Hon David Cunliffe
1 July 2009 Media Statement Government MPs sink bank inquiry
An inquiry into bank interest rates has been blocked by Government MPs on Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee. Labour and Green MPs on the committee supported an inquiry and say that until recently it seemed to have backing from Government members on the committee. Labour Finance spokesman David Cunliffe says New Zealanders were looking to Parliament to answer questions as to why interest rates, especially floating rates, seemed to lag behind cuts in the Official Cash Rate. “Bizarrely, National, ACT and Maori Party, voted against our committee’s inquiry after every indication that this would proceed," David Cunliffe said. “Thousands of New Zealand homeowners, businesses, farmers and exporters have every reason to ask why Parliament’s watchdog on the economy is by a majority vote choosing to stay muzzled. “They are paying too much for their mortgages and business loans and they’ve now been denied the opportunity to find out why in a Parliamentary forum.” Other Labour committee members also criticised National’s FEC members today. Brendon Burns, says he was at a public meeting in Christchurch last month when John Key said the banks could cut their interest rates if they tried a bit harder. “So there was implicit support at the highest level for some scrutiny of the banks. Then Bill English started defending the banks in Parliament. When asked, he confirmed that the banks had been to see him,” Brendon Burns said. Revenue spokesman Stuart Nash says an inquiry into bank interest rates could have provided banks with a real opportunity to answer growing public disquiet about whether current interest rates are appropriate. “At the moment, there is a strong perception that banks have been keeping profits high while provisioning for bad lending – and that Kiwis are paying the price for this,” Stuart Nash said.
Raymond Huo says the numbers may have stacked the right way for the banks on the Finance committee but the Labour members are determined to keep asking questions.
“We get to talk to the Reserve Bank on a regular basis so we will continue pressing to see if the banks are playing fair with interest rates,” Raymond Huo said.
Contact: David Cunliffe 021 377337
