Fletcher Tabuteau MP
New Zealand First
Spokesperson For Energy and Commerce
20 APRIL 2017

POWER PRICES UP 2.2 PER CENT; COLLINS IN DENIAL

New Zealand First says Energy and Resources Minister Judith Collins’ spin on home power bills has been exposed by an inflation-busting 2.2% spike in electricity bills over the past year.

“The latest inflation data shows a 2.2% spike in household electricity bills and this is why we need a full Inquiry into high Retail Electricity Prices,” says New Zealand Commerce Spokesperson, Fletcher Tabuteau.

“Did Minister Collins know bad household power inflation data was on the way when she lamely spun in Parliament last week that power prices were falling?

“Only a few days later the Minister of Finance, Steven Joyce, lionised the reality that we’re paying more: ‘The aggregate dividends from the electricity companies to the Crown have increased by 39 percent since listing…. For example, the Crown is now receiving more than twice as much in dividends from Genesis Energy than it did pre-listing, even though we own only 51 percent of the company’.

“Well Mr Joyce and Ms Collins, guess who’s paying through the nose for this – struggling households, retirees, farmers and businesses. This government is allowing the electricity companies it owns and half owns to rip us off.

“And why is Australia’s Liberal government showing more guts trying to get cheaper household power bills there, than our supposedly National Government here?

“Their Prime Minister wants Aussies to pay less while our Prime Minister and his Government wants Kiwis to pay more. We need a ‘crusher’ on power bills and that’s not Minister Collins – it’s New Zealand First,” says Mr Tabuteau.

ENDS

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