17319 (2026). Scott Willis to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises

Written Question

Published date: 18 May 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	17319 (2026)
Question asked:	23 Apr 2026
Member asking:	Scott Willis
Portfolio:	Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Minister replying:	Hon Simeon Brown
Answer received:	12 May 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_17319_2026
Document guid:	22dc8d34-9413-4f2c-91fe-15b597a3c0a3

17319 (2026). Scott Willis to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What amount of Mercurcy dividends, if any, have been invested in new generation year on year since 2020?

Hon Simeon Brown: I assume the Member is referring to Mercury NZ Limited. Dividends from Mercury NZ, net of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan, are cash outflows to its shareholders that are therefore not available to Mercury NZ for any purpose, including for it to invest into new generation. The Mercury NZ board determines the appropriate amount of dividend payable to all shareholders. It is not possible to know what Mercury NZ’s many shareholders chose to do with their dividends.