Quite the opposite. The State Owned Enterprises Act was designed to keep ministers at arms length from the companies' operational decisions. If they have are not satisfied with a company's overall performance they can sack its board.
But they are not supposed to interfere in decisions like this. If the airline pays the former President any money to come here or speak - and it has not even confirmed the invitation yet - it will do so from its own revenue on its own assessment of a commercial return.
There is speculation Air NZ is about to launch a service from a new city in the United States, probably Chicago, Obama's home town. If the former President can be enticed to make the flight it could be a promotional coup for Air NZ at both ends of the route.
The publicity could easily pay off in commercial terms. Certainly the company's assessment of that return is likely to be more careful and reliable than Winston Peters'.
Why he chose to put his pennyworth in is anyone's guess. Perhaps he did not like our reporter's speculation that while here, Obama might play another round of golf with Sir John Key, now on the board of Air NZ and possibly instrumental in securing this engagement, if it is still on.
What a pity if the company dropped the idea at the first whiff of opposition. It will not want its guest to be the subject of controversy here. Obama deserves an unequivocal Kiwi welcome.
