South Cantabrians opposed to the Government's planned asset sales will take their message to Stafford St in a march tomorrow.

Temuka man Michael Nolan has organised the Timaru event to coincide with other protests across New Zealand.

The Government is moving to sell up to 49 per cent of four state-owned energy companies and Air New Zealand. Mr Nolan said the proposal to sell assets was one of the most unpopular policies in New Zealand political history. "This Saturday thousands of people across the country will take to the streets and public areas to protest a government that is blatantly refusing to listen to the people that it represents."

Other unpopular policies, such as teacher ratio cuts and mining in national parks, had copped widespread criticism and been reversed, he said.

He has created a Facebook public event page Timaru March – Aotearoa is not for sale! to advertise the march, which will start at the piazza at 2pm tomorrow and head to Strathallan Corner.

Mr Nolan said he was unsure if the march would attract a dozen or 100 people. The protest could be the first of two in Timaru this month opposing asset sales, with Green Party Rangitata spokesman Gerrie Ligtenberg saying last week she planned to make herself heard when Prime Minister John Key arrived to open the Caroline Bay Trust Aoraki Centre on July 27.

Green Party MP Holly Walker will also join her on the day.

Ms Ligtenberg said she would collect signatures seeking to force a referendum on asset sales. She has already collected more than 200 signatures in the last month.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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