Selling down ownership of state-owned assets to reduce debt is a sound idea, especially when New Zealand is borrowing $300 million a week just to meet outgoings.
However, the sale of assets has been tried before, and failed.
The assets were sold, mainly to overseas owners, and the debt remained.
Prime Minister John Key, and his advising ministers, will have to work especially hard to convince older voters in particular that selling minority ownership to New Zealand investors is a sound proposition.
Before the election, Mr Key will have to lay out exactly how he plans to spend the money - which could range up to $4.8 billion - from the sales.
To appease the chorus of left-wing critics, he will also need to outline clearly whether the first tranche of sales is the beginning or end of the privatisation programme.
So far, he has kept to his word of no asset sales in the current electoral cycle.
A strong mandate at this year's election will embolden the Right to sell more publicly owned assets.
