Asset sales costing more than revealed - Greens

The Greens are laying a charge with Parliament's Speaker over what they allege is the Minister of Finance misleading Parliament over the true cost of partially privatising the four big energy companies.

Bill English told Parliament the cost this year has been just over a $1 million - which is the cost of consultants.

The Greens insist it's $7 million when the work Treasury's put in is taken into account.

Green co-leader Russel Norman says Mr English has breached Parliamentary privilege and should now be held to account.

"The Minister of Finance should be giving accurate financial figures for how much they're spending.

"The public would be shocked to know that the Government's spending more than a $100 million in order to privatise these assets that the public don't even want privatised. I mean, we get nothing out of it, because we're no richer at the end of all of it."

The total cost of floating the companies has been estimated by Treasury to be around $104 million.

Photo: Russel Norman (Getty Images)