THE New Zealand government, facing a general election next year, is confronting a referendum opposing asset sales and protests over drilling for oil. It is unlikely to be swayed by either. Government leaders say the sale of assets will contribute to returning the budget to surplus, and any oil discovery has the potential to transform the economy.

The referendum is being held because more than 10% of enrolled voters presented a petition to parliament calling for one, a provision made into law in 1993. The government is not bound by the result and it will take little heed of this one.

The referendum paper that New Zealand’s 3m enrolled voters received on November 22nd asked whether they supported the government selling up to 49% of its shares in four energy companies and the national airline. The electricity companies have been state-owned enterprises, competing against one another, but the question may have appeared quixotic because the government has recently sold shares in two of the companies and reduced the government shareholding in Air New Zealand from 73% to 53%.

The prime minister, John Key, who is leader of the National Party that is the largest in the coalition government, pointed out that the referendum did not ask for the sales to be stopped but whether voters supported the sale. He argued that, because the sale of state assets was signalled in the National Party’s 2011 election manifesto, New Zealanders had already voted on the issue and that the referendum was a waste of time and money.

The preliminary result of the postal referendum will be announced on December 13th. If the turnout is low or the vote against the sale of the assets is 20% or lower, the government will shrug it off. A 40% “no” vote might give it pause, but Bill English, the finance minister, has said there are no plans to sell any more state assets.

The government could not stop the referendum but it knew it would have a fight over drilling for offshore oil. That is partly because of the grounding of a cargo ship, the Rena, off a North Island beach in 2011, and a subsequent oil spill. So in April it passed legislation outlawing protests that interfere with or damage oil-exploration vessels. Protest vessels are not allowed within 500 metres of a ship or drilling platform. That has not stopped some protest ships from setting sail. Other demonstrators have gathered to protest on beaches around the country.

Petroleum is New Zealand’s fourth-largest export after dairy goods, meat and wood. Oil and gas have been pumped from fields off the west coast of its North Island for many years without environmental incident. To the government, oil exploration by big oil and gas companies in New Zealand waters is the fulfilment of years of planning. Some say another large oil discovery could transform the economy. Other oil companies are showing interest in drilling offshore.

Political opposition to it has been led by the Greens. Labour, motivated by environmental idealism and fear of losing support to the Greens, has accused the government of underplaying the risks of oil pollution. The National Party will have a fight at the polls next year but unless there is a severe oil spill, neither drilling nor asset sales are likely to top the agenda. That will be dominated, as in most elections, by more humdrum concerns.