The “socialist” vs capitalist PR war: NZ Power
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- Date published:
8:19 am, April 21st, 2013 - 123 comments
Categories: assets, capitalism, david parker, energy, greens, infrastructure, labour, mana-party, news, privatisation, russel norman, same old national, socialism, spin -
Tags: gareth hughes, Martin Bomber Bradbury
The Key government and those who support the privatisation of the power companies have pulled their response from the Reds-under-the-beds play book, as seen in James Henderson’s Standard post. However, a similar policy has worked successfully in capitalist California. And similar principles are the bases of Pharmac and Fronterra. For the right, their socialist scaremongering aims to mask the fact that the current arrangements deliver exorbitant profits to the power companies and their directors. In order for the profiteers to feed their greed, middle NZ and small businesses need to tighten their belts. At the same time those suffering from fuel poverty have to choose whether to pay for healthy food and a safe environment for them and their children, or to pay for more power (as well evidenced in Anthony Robin’s post on fuel poverty).
And in contrast to the NAct PR demonisation of NZ Power, the Labour (and possibly Green) architects of the policy, draw on third way discourse in an attempt to defuse the right wing scaremongering.
The response to Russel Norman’s OIA request shows just how much the power bosses are profiteering from the current arrangements.
Figures released to the Sunday Star-Times confirm that the bosses of four of our five power providers – Contact, Mighty River Power, Genesis and Transpower – are paid more than $1 million a year.
Figures for Meridian Energy were not available but, as early as the 2008-09 financial year, the company was paying its CEO a $1.03m salary.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman released the figures on Friday, just 24 hours after revealing a joint Green-Labour proposal to pull the plug on ever-rising power bills.
Russel points out the obvious, we are paying higher power bills to enable the powercos’ to make big profits, and the power bosses to get big salaries:
Norman was also alarmed at soaring payments for board members. The biggest increase over a three-year period was at Contact, which paid out a total $1.14m in the 2011-12 financial year, as opposed to $852,651 in the 2008-09 financial year.
The figures revealed are:
Contact Energy CEO Pay: $1,303,250. Total board payments: $1,141,00. Staff on $100,000-plus salaries: 395.
Mighty River Power CEO Pay: $1,492,601. Total board payments: $657,066. Staff on $100,000-plus salaries: 262.
Genesis CEO Pay: $1,200,000-$1,210,000. Total board payments: $534,242. Staff on $100,000-plus salaries: 233.
Transpower CEO Pay: $1,050,000-$1,059,000. Total board payments: $1,026,000. Staff on $100,000-plus salaries: 42.4
Meridian Energy CEO Pay: Info not available. Total board payments: $436,916. Staff on $100,000-plus salaries: n/a.
Also today, Bernard Hickey explains how this profiteering power bosses have breached the “licence to operate”: a vague notion referring to the way corporates will push their profit-taking as far as they can without losing the goodwill of the public. Basically, Hickey argues that the power bosses have pushed the profiteering beyond the level that the public will accept.
Hickey concludes that the SOE sales breached the “license to operate”, by arranging for “super profits” to go to the “richest new Zealanders”. Hickey’s article ends:
What was the industry thinking? That their customers and voters would not notice? The shock of investors realising they had crossed the line and would pay the price was evident in a 12 per cent fall in Contact’s share price and a 7 per cent fall in Trustpower’s share price. No doubt, the likely price of Mighty River Power shares also took a tumble in the minds of potential investors.
As Labour and the Greens would say privately: “That’ll learn ya.”
Also today, Matt McCarten argues that the Labour-Green power policy has “knee-capped” the government’s privatisation agenda, with the government going into “panic mode’.
The best that unofficial co-prime minister Steven Joyce could come up with was his spluttered comment that the agency was a basket-case idea from Albania. Is that the best he can do?
In any event, the correct international example to use overseas would be capitalist California, which brought in a similar agency to stop its power companies from ripping off its citizens. It has worked fine.
McCarten also points out that Pharmac and Fonterrra operate in a similar way to the proposed NZ Power. Further, McCarten says that the government’s asset sale programme is based on a “structural unfairness”, with powerco profits exceeding inflation and the gap between prices to homes and businesses being the 2nd biggest in the OECD.
On the other side of the PR war, the Mighty River Power chief, Doug Hefferman, draws from the red scare play book, labeling the Labour-Green policy as “socialist” (as if that’s a crime).
The Government says competition is the best way to set power prices and a single buyer would result in higher prices over time.
Heffernan said the surge in renewable electricity investment over the last five years would not have happened under the opposition parties’ plan. “What you’ve just described is a socialist consumer model,” he said in an exclusive interview. “Mighty River Power would not have made the $1billion investment into geothermal energy that we’ve made in the last five years … The risks would have been too high.”
The article ends with Gareth Hughes successfully going to the heart of the issue while David Parker opts for a bit of Blairist, Third Way, “neoliberal’ apologetics.
Asked if the policy was socialist, Green Party energy spokesman Gareth Hughes said: “We’d call it a practical and cost-effective solution.” Parker rejected the “socialist” accusation: “I would say excessive profiteering is neither socialist nor capitalist, it’s just uncompetitive.”
Perhaps Labour needs to heed Bomber Bradbury’s advice on media management of their power policy, in his review off yesterday’s The Nation. And perhaps we all need to take note of Bomber’s argument on ‘why Mana is the Greens best friend’.
[Updated title] to add quote marks. NZ Power is not actually a socialist policy. It does nothing to change the capitalist system. Just makes it less damaging to those on low incomes.
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- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...1 week ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...1 week ago
- Landlord Government leaves little hope for rentersThe Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...1 week ago
- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...1 week ago
- Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust pastA significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...1 week ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...6 hours ago - Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...12 hours ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...13 hours ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...15 hours ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...16 hours ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...19 hours ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...20 hours ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...24 hours ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...1 day ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...2 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...2 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...2 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...3 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...3 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...3 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...3 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...4 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...4 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...4 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...4 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...7 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...7 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...7 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...7 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...7 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...7 days ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...7 days ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...7 days ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...7 days ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...1 week ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...1 week ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...1 week ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...1 week ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...1 week ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...6 hours ago - Group plans work to improve safety of female MPs
New research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...7 hours ago - Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid voteUkraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...8 hours ago
- Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for ChildrenThe Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...10 hours ago
- Luxon refuses to guarantee public consultation on AUKUS Pillar 2Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "far too premature" to be confirming whether the public would be consulted on joining AUKUS Pillar 2. ...11 hours ago
- Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating textSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...12 hours ago
- Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...12 hours ago
- Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...12 hours ago
- Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandalSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...12 hours ago
- Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...12 hours ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...12 hours ago
- Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...13 hours ago
- Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...13 hours ago
- Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...14 hours ago - Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is BrokenIpsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...14 hours ago
- Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...15 hours ago
- What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...15 hours ago
- A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...15 hours ago - Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education StaffThe PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...15 hours ago
- Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta failsMyanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...15 hours ago
- LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings DecisionLGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...15 hours ago
- AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob CarrThe former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...16 hours ago
- Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...16 hours ago
- REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining BillThe Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...17 hours ago
- Police rejected 'very good offer' – Mark MitchellPolice Minister Mark Mitchell says the pay offer rejected by police was the best the government could put forward under difficult financial circumstances. ...17 hours ago
- How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forwardSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in ...17 hours ago
- NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Declining performance in international testing has been ...17 hours ago
- An updated tally of the public sector job cutsThe coalition government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand. Updated: 12pm, April 18 Before last year’s election, both National and Act made it clear that the public service was squarely in their crosshairs. Both parties, now ...17 hours ago
- Confessions of an unlikely petrolheadCheckered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. One childhood summer when my world revolved around winning stuff off the radio, I bagged tickets to Western Springs Speedway and then to Waikaraka Park in what was a dream season for ...17 hours ago
- 'Ambitious' trade pledge headlines Luxon's Thailand stopThe Prime has announced a commitment to triple two-way trade with Thailand by 2045, but it only requires maintaining current growth. ...17 hours ago
- ‘The right person’: What did Solomon Islanders vote for?By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara After a relatively well organised and peaceful day of voting in Solomon Islands yesterday, the electoral commission is working with donor partners to safely transport ballot boxes from polling stations all over the country to centrally located counting venues. It is a ...18 hours ago
- What it’s like to be made redundant by the Ministry of EducationI was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. It is a Friday. I’m in the middle of an online Teams hui working out the finer details of a series of workshops we’ll be presenting next week. It’s a ...18 hours ago
- What are ‘Ozempic babies’? Can the drug really increase your chance of pregnancy?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Joshua Rodriguez/Unsplash Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about ...19 hours ago
- Why the kookaburra’s iconic laugh is at risk of being silencedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Kuchinke, Lecturer in Ecology, Federation University Australia Linda Robertus/Shutterstock Once, while teaching a class of environmental science students in China’s Hebei University of Science and Technology, I asked who knew what a laughing kookaburra was. There were many blank faces. ...19 hours ago
- Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato smolaw11/Getty Images School truancy has been a concern across the political spectrum for years. But proposed solutions have largely failed to address the core reasons for unexplained school absences. Despite the apparent ...19 hours ago
- ‘Listening is the most important part’: 10 things students with disability and their families wa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic University Agence Olloweb/Unsplash, CC BY About 90% of Australian students with disability attend mainstream schools. Equitable access and participation in education is a fundamental human right. But as last ...19 hours ago
- Will global oil supply be at risk if Iran and Israel pull the Middle East into war?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following Iran’s weekend missile and drone attacks on Israel, heightening concerns of a wider conflict. As with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, ...19 hours ago
- No, getting your boyfriend to peel an orange won’t prove his loyalty. Why TikTok relationship ‘t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Shutterstock Have you ever wondered if your partner really loves you? Well apparently so have thousands of TikTok users, who are testing their theories for the world to see. In ...19 hours ago
- New Zealand’s Annual Emissions Fell In 2022, For Third Successive YearThis is the third successive decrease year-on-year. New Zealand’s gross emissions for 2022 were 78.4 Mt CO2-e. ...19 hours ago
- Oranga Tamariki job cuts: 'We can't establish what their endgame is'Oranga Tamariki has failed to explain how hundreds of job cuts will achieve a better outcome for children, a children's advocate says. ...19 hours ago
- Help Me Hera: My parents won’t help out with my kidsThey pressured me to have children, and I had two. Now they won’t lift a finger. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Hi Hera, I suspect it’s a familiar pattern. Back in the day, as a single gal, I was plagued with questions from my parents about when I would find ...20 hours ago
- Care Workers Call For Fairness On Pay Equity Anniversary“The Government has an opportunity here to really correct the course for the care and support workforce, and the people they look after. This cannot be just another area left in the cold, we need real leadership to ensure the proper quality of care ...20 hours ago
- First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi ArabiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Stewart, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University The western passage of the Umm Jirsan lava tube. Green Arabia Project If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian ...20 hours ago
- Teachers worry about curriculum, NCEA changes amid staff cutsMore than 500 jobs are likely to be cut at the Education Ministry with concerns about how the curriculum and NCEA changes will now be managed. ...21 hours ago
- Government IT systems need a $800m overhaulThe government is facing a bill of more than $800 million to overhaul back-office IT systems, and attempts to lessen its impact have hit delays. ...21 hours ago
- Over 3,000 public service jobs now proposed to goThe Ministry of Education confirmed a proposal to reduce headcount by 565, while Oranga Tamariki’s proposal would result in a loss of 447 jobs, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Ministry of ...21 hours ago
- Kāinga Ora delays building projects ahead of reviewKāinga Ora is unable to say how many new KiwiBuild developments have been delayed as it waits for the outcome of the government's independent review of the state housing agency. ...22 hours ago
- Owners of earthquake prone buildings given four extra years to complete strengtheningA review into the regulations was also being brought forward. ...22 hours ago
- Corrections Accepts Recommendations Following Auckland Prison InspectionThe Inspectorate made three overarching recommendations following the inspection, all of which have been accepted in full by Corrections. ...22 hours ago
- Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch
The crippling cost and complexity of Christchurch’s Commonwealth Games ambitions have become clearer The post Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago - Oranga Tamariki services for at-risk children will get better after job cuts, minister says"We need to make sure that every dollar we're spending is actually for the benefit of our young people," says Children's Minister Karen Chhour. ...23 hours ago
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Isnt this the type of policies the US Republicans favoured to allow George W Bush narrow victories.
But of course in the opposite direction.
Gone are the middle of the road- dont offend anyone policies , instead throw out some red meat.
Heffernan is right.
>>Mighty River Power would not have made the $1billion investment into geothermal energy that we’ve made in the last five years … The risks would have been too high.”
Yes the MARKET model does require profits to make new generation.
BUT he conveniently ignores how his dams were built in the first place. You know by the government of the day!!
Love his suits and his stylish glasses
Love to aspire to his obscene fees
telling off the rest of you lot
that you are socialists
with competitive choices to pay high power bills
pile on another jersey to look like the Michelin man or
shiver in your homes.
Not sure that using Fonterra as an example is a good idea. Is milk cheap/affordable? Is the price of milk able to be set to NZ needs rather than global ones? Is the dairy industry any kind of example of best practice and moving towards sustainability, environmental protection, and being accountable towards climate change prevention? Want to know why the profit is god farmers’ union is now pushing for beef and sheep farmers to adopt the Fonterra model? Hint, it’s not to make meat more affordable.
Fonterra is a single ‘buyer’ which provides the benefits for the farmers.
Yes, I understand that.
edit: surely the point of NZPower is not the single buyer structure, but how that structure can deliver certain results to the people of NZ?
Bulk buying ie like what tiwai aluminium smelter does weks they get power at 2.5 cents a unit while we mugs pay 20 cents+ s unit!
weka – the Fonterra structure benefits the people it is serving – it’s farmer shareholders. The Pharmac structure, also a monopsony, benefits the people it is serving – the NZ public (and the Govt budget).
I’m actually very interested in what the TPPA terms and conditions has to say about NZ Power. I think our foreign investment overlords will not be liking it.
The TPPA will be written to disallow such entities – unless they’re in the USA. Signing the TPPA will most likely make Pharmac and Fonterra illegal.
If that were to happen, which it won’t, National would be well and truly out of constituents. Surely even they appreciate that.
and make legal Monsanto’s et als GMO foods
“the Fonterra structure benefits the people it is serving”
yes, and the current electricity system benefits the people it is serving. So?
Labour/Greens have promoted NZ Power as an organisation serving the interests of NZers who use electrictiy.
So, you can understand the level of opposition and rhetoric from those it is serving – mainy the shareholders, CEO, Board and 5% who are looking forward to a stream of profit from the MRP sale.
But it’s not the single buyer. There is the provision for competition in the market. So it’s a terrible example.
Tell Open Country Dairy or Tatua that Fonterra is a single buyer.
Do some basic research you fool
Ah yes Fonterra is only 96% single buyer
There is 4% “competition” in there
So we can see another buyer allowed in the market under the regime labour and the greens have as policy?
4% buyer just cost adding window dressing.
Don’t be so flippant. It’s all about service and prices offered by the buyer in situations like this. So the “window dressing” you dismiss so easily could actually become a serious player. Voila competition working its magic. Therefore your whole argument is invalid
Fonterra is a single buyer, however farmers selling to Fonterra can choose to sell somewhere else. Under the NZ Power model, generators can only sell to them. That is nationalisation.
However translating the Fonterra example into the NZ Power scenario is incorrect as Fonterra is designed to extract maximum value from end consumers and pass that back to the producers.
In a power scenario this would be power consumers paying more for power to power generators and retailers – the opposite of what Labour proposes?
And to all the lefties thinking about how this will benefit low income families – any price saving will be off set by the green ETS expansion and hiking in fuel excise to help subsidize public transport.
Anyone thinking that a red/green government won’t result in almost everyone paying more taxes one way or another has been on the magic pipe too long….
depends who pays the taxes, and who calls the tune…
The use of Fonterra as a monopsony example is merely there to demonstrate the buying and co-ordination power that single buyers have.
But don’t worry, Labour/Greens won’t actually structure NZ Power on a model of farmer shareholders.
You mean like National’s increases in GST, petrol, ciggies, alcohol, carbon trading subsidies,…
You say that, but have you got any policy proof of that? We are supposed to accept the bland assurances of a fanboy that the parties themselves tell to STFU?
Sure, I’m holding the proof in my hands lol
You Only need a pair of tweezers.
Hi Tighty.
You’re missing a crucial point in this whole discussion. Like to know what it is?
No-one cares whether you think this policy makes good neoliberal free-market sense.
Blah blah blah neo-lib blah blah blah I don’t care, I want it my way at some else’s expense. Pretty much summing every left argument ever. Also the answer to any question about why the left fails
Oh the irony. Perhaps you didn’t understand what I said.
You want everything to be run according to market theories and you don’t like this policy because it’s meddling with the market.
Cool. Keep saying that, loud as you can and to anyone who’ll listen. You’ll be doing Labour and the Greens a favour because that’s what kiwis are looking for now, a break from everything you believe in.
Off you go now and spread the good word.
you have provided some Excellent laughs today felix; you are very witty, almost as witty as…Did I tell you that they are playing my movie on the tele? Do I look good all rising out of the ashes and those chains, oh the chains.
Agreed it’s not a good analogy. Fonterra sells at a competitive world price in global dairy auctions. Almost the opposite of the NZPower idea.
Yep.(some peeps aye; wotta ya gonna do?)
As a monopsony Fonterra exercises far more pricing power than having 20 different NZ milk companies trying to undercut each other in the very same auctions.
The point for the public is that monopsonies work, and they work here in NZ today.
No they don’t. All your examples that relate to New Zealand have exceptions to the monopsony definin characteristics. Therefore you cannot relate them. This is typical labour policy. Say something the public want to here but have no way of explaining, let alone implementing successfully.
Bomber’s article is funny:
“Q+A isn’t intelligent current affairs, it’s Sunday morning shouty and yelly. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind shouty yelly, I like it. But not on a Sunday morning, it’s just too undignified.'”
Says the guy who used to spend every Sunday morning getting all shouty and yelly about what he’d just seen on Q+A. Why the left give credence to this hypocritical jerk is beyond me.
A left wing Cameron Slater.
Are you saying that he is wrong and that Q+A is not shouty and yelly on Sunday mornings?
Or are you saying that he is spot on correct?
I am saying the guy who crticises Q+A for being ‘undiginified’ because they are “shouty and yelly” on a Sunday morning while regularly being shouty and yelly themselves on a Sunday morning is a hypocritical jerk.
Am just trying to think of the name for someone who badmouths the person who has moderated them, but badmouths them for other reasons than the moderation.
The reason why I give Bomber credence is because he provides useful and credible analysis of issues from a left wing perspective. Don’t always agree with him, but can’t say his style bothers me. Slater on the other hand is sleazy, has almost no discernible ethics, and is highly untrustworthy.
It seems to me that you are criticising style not substance. Which doesn’t equal him with Slater.
There, spellings aside, FIFY:
I am saying the guy who crticises the guy who crticises Q+A for being ‘undiginified’ because they are “shouty and yelly” on a Sunday morning while regularly being shouty and yelly themselves on a Sunday morning is a hypocritical jerk.
How am I being hypocritical?
You’re a bit shouty and yelly.
I think it’s completely hypocritical.
Yes but I’m not one complaining about it numb nuts.
Course not. Oh except here where you complain that he’s a hypocrite among other things.
I can only assume you’re being willfully obtuse.
Was that not your complaint?
After a long dry & hot summer/autumn behind us, the impending sudden change to wet & cold weather will be bloody lousy timing to flog off our power dam assets to the richest NZers and foreign buyers.
Reading the Hickey article is interesting. Including this bit where it is clear that the Labour Govt let power prices run away during their term in power
Thank you National for significantly reducing the rate of rise of electricity prices. During Labour’s term in power, electricity prices doubled, helping Cullen hit massive budget surpluses off the back of NZ workers and businesses.
Don’t be too facetious, CV, National may use that statistic to try and justify the, “see it’s getting better, just give it more time” angle.
My bet on what National’s response to NZ Power will actually be is that they will see how widely popular it is and so they’ll capitulate on the issue a bit, just to stay in government. They’ll say something like “ok ok we can see this is a big issue so we’ll do something about it, we had some ideas that we were going to introduce a bit later but Labour and the Green’s marxist stupidity has forced our hand”.
Then they’ll bring out a policy that they’ll argue further increases competition in the electricity market which consequently reduces consumer prices. Then they’ll say look we’ve addressed the issue that Labour raised, all through sensible, realistic (code for market forces) policy and that the voter can have cheaper electricity without being subjected to the rest of the crazy, loonie lefty crap from Labour/Greens which would surely wreck the economy.
I doubt they will be successful though. I hope that at least the Green’s will successfully frame the election as one of rent-seeking tories versus the people of NZ. Therefore it won’t just be about power prices, it will be about housing, food, everything. And National can’t capitulate on all of those fronts.
“see it’s getting better, just give it more time” angle
– well, i have been vigorously chanting this in relation to the shearer-led labour party. hoping for dividends to come soon.
Not sure if “facetious” was what I’m aiming for: according to Hickey’s numbers, power prices almost exactly doubled during Helen Clark’s 9 years in power. Nothing humourous about that. NZers tolerated that increase while minimum wage increases were good and unemployment low under Labour.
But now, 4% power price increases (although lower) are on top of that high baseline set by Labour, and during a time where wage increases fall well short of 4%, not to mention high unemployment.
martyn bradbury is a fucking cunt.
And yet next to Steven Joyce he looks like Mother Teresa. Not sure why I’m responding to this because I strongly suspect your post is going to get edited…
Well – they say it takes one to know one……..
wheel (SPIN) = steven joyce;
-on power generators withholding; ” I haven’t got the details”
-“I very much believe in strong regulation”
-“investment loss scare-mongering”
if you NAct spin doctors are reading this; every time steven joyce opens his nepotistic mouth he is a liability to your party and constituents; he clearly cannot think any further than beyond displacement.
more from Q + A (watching their lying, or other wise eyes)
-from the couch political commentator;
-“Russell Norman is the centre-left’s most effective spokesman”
-“that David Shearer has to sell this, that’s the worry”
-echoed Winstons desire to nationalize, not National eyes.
and according to Heather Roy (be nice now ghost, play nice…) “politically (NZPower announcement) was a master-stroke (unlike just strokin’ it steven).
from Think Tank (why can’t JT be this circumspect a bit more of the time?)
-our overall adolescent death rate is the second highest in the developed world, behind only where they arm their young with hand-guns early.
according to Dr Nicola Coupe (cool surname) these are some prime concerns
-the environment (now all you Libertarians who think that every thing boils down to an individuals choice of sweets; you are in an imaginary candy shop)
-lack of purpose (low ed, low job prospects, low esteem…)
-there is a real potential for UK-type riots (think boyracer road chains 😉 , social-media facilitated parties in the street; of a kind all but in name; compare and contrast with the social outrages of the 70s; Mob huis, Bikies not paying for their petrol and Terry Clark.
“Its not a good place where we are heading” capiche?
and according to Heffernan power price pressure is now from transmission and distribution costs!…moving (the buck) along.
There has been an incredible amount of frothing at the mouth over the NZ Power policy from the Greens and Labour. It has been attacked with a ferocity that I personally have not seen in NZ politics before. It has certainly caught many completely by surprise and the underlying message from the right (once you filter out the scaremongering) is that it should simply be left to the market too resolve. But should it?
The market is not a guarantee of low prices. especially in a market where there is a low level of consumer engagement or a low level of choice.
examples: on choice a price conscious consumer can go to the supermarket and will do so regularly and select the lowest priced product from 10 different brands. They are all there in front of them its easy to see and they just have to reach out and grab the one they want. There are only two major players in New Zealand but low prices are there because of the high level of choice and the high level of customer interaction. Hell they have buyers price checking the competitors weekly to ensure they are remaining competitive.
On interaction you can use the same example. How often does a person go to the supermarket, a couple of times per week, once per week once per fortnight. There is a high level of interaction and the market works well.
Even marketing plays a huge part and marketing is always more powerful and effective if you play to the senses.
The market works very well in these areas.
Power companies however are not like this. It is very difficult to market power to the senses to a level that will cause the consumer to get up and switch power companies.
There is a low level of interaction. You use your lights, your appliances etc. Your interaction is with those things. Unless you are on the bones of your arse your effective interaction level with power is almost non existent. What I mean by this is that when you turn on the lights you don’t consciously think I am going to use power do you, of course not you just flip the switch and the light is on.
As a consumer you just get your power bill and you pay it. 99% of will not go and compare what the rates are with other companies each and every time they get their power bill and then on top of that switch if they find a cheaper one each and every month. They might do a comparison when they sign up and that is about it.
Because of this the customer base of a power company is very stable. The just need to buy the power, supply it, bill the customer and receive the payment. They are never in a position of losing customers hand over fist that means they constantly need to keep an eye on pricing in order to remain competitive and to stay in business. Customers just aren’t that interested in switching regularly enough. It is this reason that the market is unlikely to deliver lower prices. It simply doesn’t have a strong driver to. It is not doing anything that is not going to maximise profits to its shareholders.
But could ‘the Market’ ever solve the problem of higher power prices?
Well yes in theory and probably in practice given enough time…..
The most likely realisation of a market solution in New Zealand will be where the price of off grid equipment such as inverters, solar panels, batteries etc. continues to drop and the cost of electricity keeps rising. Once things get to a point where it becomes more and more economically viable to switch to having your own power supply (i.e. installing an off grid set up) rather than continuing to pay the power companies ever increasing prices then this is what more and more people will do.
Once this point is reached power companies have two options.
1. lower the cost of power to a point where it is
A: no longer economical to go off the grid.
&
B: will attract customers from other power companies thus increasing or at least restoring profits.
Or
2. increase prices to make up the short fall from customers that have been lost to off grid alternatives.
With the pressure to produce ever increasing profits and dividends to shareholders in the short term rather than take a long term approach to the problem. Option 2 is the one that will most likely be realised.
The problem is that this outcome is the worst possible outcome for the low the income sections of society, those that can’t afford to go off grid and need lower power prices the most.
In theory the market can solve the problem. But for many, by the time it is finally able to it will be far too late.
It was depressing watching this morning.
Watching Parker and Hughes being interviewed and putting their feet in their mouths after such a brilliant policy hit.
Those two torn to shreds by a not very competent right wing TV interviewer.
Unfortunately both sounded like not very competent mumblers.
Of course it is socialist, designed to remove the profits share buyers intended to make by ripping off the rest of us. Of course it is a move away from “the market”. And of course it is designed to stop nationals privatisations. (The economic vandalism of excessive profits having to be paid offshore.)
Neither had the guts to say so!
Parker seemed to be stuck in some “third way” paradigm where a labour party MP could not be “Socialist” FFS.
Don’t know what happened to Gareth, but going to an interview without all the facts and figures, is deadly.
Maybe we need to hire super salesman Key from National? I am sure he would switch for a couple of hundred mill.
Or David Cunliff??
Parker is in the wrong party. Or maybe the right party 30 years too late.
I “got” all those “GAMES” (sssh, don’t let the RW in on the joke), singularly cleaning up the back nine with your walkman on at the time you may have been all out to see. Over, and Out. (You’re never alone when you’re a schizophrenic, or not) 😉
Don’t forget the ‘e’ lol I’m sure Mr Cunliffe is sensitive about folk who misspell his surname
Yeah everyone really really cares about your tired retarded jokes.
Wow! was that a simultaneous Limerick or wot!
What was broken back in the pre-Rogernomic$ days of the NZ Department of Electricity and local Power Boards?
In those ‘bad old inefficient’ days – you could at least afford to have a heater on in winter and a soak in a hot bath?
When you take an essential public service – like electricity – which is a ‘natural monopoly’, and introduce the ‘market model’ – all that happens is a duplication of resources and price increases for (residential) customers.
The ‘market model’ for electricity has been a disaster for most NZ households.
Who would take the slightest notice of ‘market maniac’ John Key?
He was the former Head of Derivatives for Merrill Lynch, at a time that the market for derivatives was completely deregulated (repeal of the Glass Steagall Act in 1999), now look at the global financial meltdown, caused by the collapse of the derivatives market?
Isn’t it time for a review of the entire Rogernomic$ model?
Time to match the FACTS against the MANTRA – “Public is bad – private is good?”
FOR WHOM?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner.
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
http://www.switchoffmercuryenergy.org.nz/
A quick look at the quantity of the comments and the amount of likes below Bernard Hickey’s article ‘ Power barons fail to fool the public this time around’ would suggest the capitalists are losing the PR war.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10878726
This is a watershed issue.
Socialise power pricing. No water meters – no power meters. Nationalise the telco’s again and nationalise all food production and distribution.
Each house could be charged a flat rate based on its capital value for water, electricity, phone and Internet. Food stamps allocated based on the house value as well which can be redeemed in state run shops which don’t make a profit.
This NZ Power thing is just re start comrades, get behind it… State run monopolies always deliver the best value for money – look at the Soviet Union which was the richest country on earth before it lost its way.
and that’s just the tip of the Caucasus!
One nationalisation at a time mate
ahhh you following me, or am I following you Hoss?
Lockstep dude.
Blind Lemon Jefferson; a good friend (redundant former DPS) and staunch unionist, now in the printing industry 😉 sniffed that artist out during our sessions together.anyway, Press on I say!
That’s right, lefty’s never reveal their true agenda because it might not be popular enough for them to gain power. How silly of me …
Wow what an ironic comment
Yes, gos’s comments are like stepping through the looking glass into a world where everything is reversed: right MOs become left MOs.
Which would we all prefer: cheaper electricity prices for all (hey great spike there Labour), or partially-privatised generator companies with majority New Zealand ownership.
Labour has so spooked local investors over MRP float that Labour will only get the former, not the latter.
Yes of course, history shows categorically that monopolies always deliver the best results for consumers.
And NZ history has shown that moving away from the NZED was a right wing mistake.
Yes indeed. It made power companies report profits accurately and openly and let people know how much profit was being extracted from families struggling to pay the power bill. Openness and accountability are completely abhorrent to leftist ideology which relies on perception and propaganda. Bring back the state control and stealth taxation so we can all be happy in our ignorance.
Which of you, Burt and CV, are buying MRP shares?
If you are not and can afford to, is signing the petition your main resistance to foreign ownership?
If you are, does the Labour Kiwipower policy make you feel confident about the Labour Party as a future majority shareholder?
Coronial Typer
I’m taking the piss. Seriously. There has never been a monopoly that retains its original purpose of serving the best interests of its customers/clients above serving its own best interests or the agenda of its “management”.
Look at NZ Railways before it was privatised. Train fares were pegged at about a few dollars below air fares where air travel was available ( eg Wellington to Auckland). Legislation was enabled to ensure road freight was slower than rail. Passenger bus services were not allowed to travel comparable routes faster than trains. The railways employed 22,000 people prior to privatisation – 5,000 after and fares reduced considerably as did freight charges.
ACC is another shining example. There is no contractual compensation … You get the level of compensation de-jour which is dependent on the capability of the organisation to deliver profit as mandated by the government less the costs of operation. Yet the lefties still call it the best system in the world despite not one other country ever adopting our model.
Telecom ( NZ post ) is another example. Poorly educated ideologues will tell you it was sold cheaply because they either don’t know or have forgotten it was a money pit for tax ayers funds, a sheltered workshop employing thousands of bums on seats hiding unemployment while being completely non customer focused.
Tough titty burt.
We as a society built the electricity network and we as a society will decide how to use it.
That’s right felix, and once the Red=good labour one size fits themselves government loose the levers of power how confident are you that the Blue=bad government will continue to run this all powerful monopoly in the spirit of goodness you were stupid enough to believe in when you empowered its creation ?
Didn’t say anything about red/labour/blue/national burt. That’s your world not mine.
We as a society, the owners of the electricity infrastructure, will decide how to use it.
Awful isn’t it?
The only awful thing felix is the reckless flip flop wastage and expense of reorganising everything critical in social services for the sake of electoral popularity.
A complete restructure of the electricity sector done with cross party support in the best interest of NZ would be a fine thing. Successive governments turning infrastructure and essential social services into political footballs is the problem. And this is what we are seeing going on here with partisan support/resistance.
Nah, it’s not up to the political parties.
We the people will decide. And chances are we’ll decide to use them for our own benefit. Horrible, I know.
did you just see burt declare the badness of “electoral popularity”?
Its like he doesn’t realise that the idea of “democracy” centres around decision making by the people for the people, and that is a good thing.
Not decision making by the elites, for the elites.
Funny eh?
And I love the appeal to “cross party support in the best interest of NZ” (who does that remind you of lol) which means “maybe the people could have a say as long as the power of the elites is maintained at no less than current levels”.
Yep, keep fooling yourself guys. Keep believing the two major parties exist to serve the people. Keep thinking that their main interest is serving the people by being established in a structure where one rules as an all powerful elite executive ad the other opposes on principle. That without a mandate they can and do impose changes over and above the mandate we give them every three years.
Keep thinking our half Westminster system with its unconstrained ability to pass any law it wants to is a democracy. Keep forgetting we’ve never had a binding referendum that makes for the people by the people real rather than a fickle sound bite to give you confidence to vote for an ideology on blind faith that your team is better than the other one.
It’s half thinkers like you that perpetuate this two horse system allowing electoral popularity to dictate government policy funded by all of us.
Are you pretending that you are for true democratic constitutional reform?
Are you pretending that you are a backer of alternatives to a democracy based on political parties?
Or are you just an authoritarian poseur trying to hide your natural inclinations?
Yes because systems of government which ignore the will of the people work out so well.
Executive power without accountability – that’s the problem CV. It’s what we have, what you seem to support.
You won’t need to google very far to find me banging on about accountability and the folly of flip-flop policies in our predominately two party system.
But sure, your entitled to your opinion of my motivations. The fact you support an ideology that’s never produced an enduring benefit proves your opinions are ideologically based rather than on fact and reason so basically I don’t consider your opinions any more valid than I do a child’s opinion that they shouldn’t have to do homework valid,
Trust me mate, you’re not as wise and all knowing as you’d like to make out.
CV
I don’t claim to be wise, and unlike you I don’t claim to know what your motivations are. I have my opinions – I share them. You are free to argue with them but I would prefer you didn’t attack me over debating the points I make – but that is up to you.
burt and the moral high ground, how fabulous
“The fact you support an ideology that’s never produced an enduring benefit”
Funny, just the other day burt was arguing that it’s wrong to try to change anything for the better, that we’re born with what we’re born with and it’s pointless to interfere with that destiny.
CV & felix
Thanks for validating my assertion that you would rather attack me than engage in the meat of the issue. Well done.
felix, tinkering isn’t the solution. Perhaps you could explain in the context of NZ power how a state owned monopoly for no more than price control isn’t a classic Muldoon style policy and perhaps while doing that you could point to enduring benefits from these types of policies as implemented by Muldoon – other than the enduring benefit of making people weary of regulation and price control to solve complex problems.
Don’t really care about any of that burt.
What we’re going to do is use our electricity infrastructure to supply nzers with cheaper energy.
Whether it fits with your theoretical model is the least of my concerns.
felix
It’s refreshing that you trust a political party so completely. I’m a little more jaded by reality and by the history of profit taking from electricity by your beloved red team over their last term in government, clearly I’m more cynicle than you about our form of governance and its usage of price control devices it has always had to serve our best interests.
But sure, changing the tools might change their behaviour. I mean it’s not like they didn’t always have the ability to reduce power pricing over the last 15 years – but hey with a new branded entity with NZ in the name it might all change.
Good for you felix, your trust in political parties to behave differently once they change their clothes is admirable.
How many times do I have to say it? I’m not interested in political parties.
Your concerns are not my concerns.
Ok felix, sure I’m starting to get that. Your trust in a power company to reduce power pricing is interesting given your current lack of trust in power companies to reduce power pricing. Good luck working out where you stand felix, other than against me.
You’re funny burt.
One hint of a tool to loosen the grip of the elite – even a tiny bit – from the throat of the rest of us and now it’s about trust.
And no, it’s not about being against ‘you’. You’re irrelevant in this discussion.
once back in the hands of the society, we as a society must create a specific law that the network can only be further changed ( ie sold) through binding referenda.
Good luck with taking power away from the hands of the elite once they have used it for electoral popularity successfully.
It’s like asking for control of the school system to be under the mandate of referendum, health policy or changes to the justice system to be under binding referendum.
Where is this faith you have in our politicians to serve our best interests coming from ?
That’s one thing which disturbs me about the title of this post. NZ Power is not a socialist initiative; at best it represents a social democratic initiative based on market based capitalism.
The NZ Power initiative does not place the ownership of any network back into the hands of society.
Exactly CV. If it were socialist then the debate would be about socialising power billing for the common good rather than introducing a state monopoly to regulate and price control. Regulation and price control reminds us of Muldoon and I don’t see much support for his polices on either side if the current political spectrum.
Perhaps if you read the comments I’ve been making on this thread again you will see I’m basically pointing to the folly of state control and regulation to solve the problem.
Furthermore, your inability to see the points I’m making about our broken constitutional model of a predominately two party system unconstrained might best best be referred to Geffory Palmer’s book Unbridaled Power where he refers to the NZ government as the fastest law makers in the west, I don’t expect you to agree with much I say but I would be interested to hear your opinion of Geoffery Palmer’s assertions that our government ( the model not the current party in power) is not a very valid constructional model and also without a proud history of serving the people of NZ well.
It’s not price controls mate its profit control.
Perhaps if you read the comments I’ve been making on this thread again you will see I’m basically pointing to the folly of state control and regulation to solve the problem.
Well then you’ll just have to explain that to all those countries like South Korea, California and Canada (to name a couple that have pop up as similar examples). Maybe they’ll be interested your idea that they’ve been committing folly.
And I’m baffled by your constant denigration of anything to do with the State, when in fact there are a whole lot of things that your take totally for granted, which function for the most part pretty smoothly …. and are run by public servants going about their normal jobs.
Of course all things human are subject to improvement; there’s always something we could do better. But that’s true whether it’s the state or the private sector. And I’ve seen plenty of wasteful, inefficient and destructive “folly” from the private sector in my life. Especially when it’s been allowed to do a job that the state would be inherently better at.
CV
Yes indeed. Profit control.. Control … Not minimisalisation. Your belief it will be for minimisalisation is based on your faith in the integrity of the party that is proposing it. Once in the hands of the fastest law makers in the west – it will certainly be about profit control – which by the way the current structure already enables as evidenced by billions of profit being taken over the last 15 years.
RedLogix
Is not only about the model, its about the history of behaviour in an unconstrained parliament.
It might be interesting to shift this debate to viewing the constitutional structure of the countries you mention if you want to introduce them as valid examples of how it might work here.
I agree CV. After I left for work yesterday, I regretted not putting quote marks around the “socialist”. Will do it now.
Rather revealing you only quote socialist karol. I say that because I think Labour don’t have a position, rather just they are opposition. Like felix, they have no real opinions other that the other people they argue with are wrong.
Nonsense burt. I have many opinions, all of immeasurable worth.
You tend to overlook them because you are only concerned with philosophical consistency and have no apparent concern for outcomes.
Frankly burt since you have no understanding of the concept of an economic commons for the good of all, nor any understanding of the failings of neoliberalism, your faulty analysis is completely expected.
Oh BTW, the only reason that privateers like Fay Richwhite and Co bought into all these public goods was because they knew they were getting huge free value and scamming the NZ tax payers who had built those assets up over decades.
So no power meters then CV… It’s the only way…
There are many ways burt, not just your extreme fantasy contrasted with your extreme nightmare.
Do you know what an electricity meter does burt?
I think I know what it does felix. It does the same thing for electricity billing that water meters do for water billing. One s status quo and unthinkable to change and the other is evil and must not happen – have I got it right.
No burt, it measures the amount of electricity being used.
Always about the fucking money with you, isn’t it?
It’s back to attacking me felix. Perhaps you could call your electricity company tomorrow and ask them if the meter you have in/on your dwellinging is there for billing. You might be surprised to learn its not there to demonstrate the physics of measuring power usage for your entertainment. I guess knowing your usage by having that measured in terms of money could ave a side effect of making you use less – so maybe the power company only bill via your metered usage to charge for you education – which should be free anyway… He’ll they are pigs those power companies … Life will be much better when nanny only measures our power usage for our pleasure of witnessing the technology of power metering.
*whoosh*
The Labour Party is not going to be a future major shareholder of anything.
End of 2015 is the earliest I imagine the new NZ Power mechanism will come into force.
“Investors” who think they can do a speculative ‘pump and dump’ on the shares before then will not be dissuaded from investing.
Extracting profits from critical economic infrastructure is a neoliberal idea. Instead, they should be operated as a public good, part of the commons of the country.
Just had a look at “Q&A” – I reckon the TVNZ journalist was auditioning for a job as one of Steven Joyce’s spin doctors, or he was already working as one. Look at the monologues he made Parker face, in the guise of “questions”, v the obsequious obeisances he made to Joyce. Reminded me of those BBC interviewers grovelling to royalty.
I seem to remember the name Hefferman from somewhere back in the political scene. Who was he then?