MINISTERIAL INQUIRY INTO THE ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY

Electricity Inquiry Establishes Procedures

Yesterday the Ministerial Inquiry into the Electricity Industry held its first meeting. At this stage the Inquiry panel has concentrated on establishing its procedures.

The panel has determined that its procedures will be as open as possible, given the importance of its wide-ranging terms of reference.

To this end, the panel has taken the following steps:

 It has established a website www.electricityinquiry.govt.nz The Inquiry intends to post on its website as many as possible of the Inquiry’s documents. For example, the Inquiry’s terms of reference are already available from this website.

 The Inquiry will call for public submissions. A public notice will be placed in major metropolitan newspapers over the weekend or on Monday. Submissions will close on 13 March. They should be sent to the Inquiry office, PO Box 1473, Wellington. Those wishing to make submissions will be encouraged to submit them in electronic form so that they can be made available on the Inquiry’s website. Anyone wanting to submit commercially sensitive information will be asked to summarise the main points so that other interested parties can respond to it.

 An issues document will be published early next week. This too will be posted on the Inquiry’s website. This document is not intended as a substitute for the terms of reference. Rather it is designed to be a helpful background to people thinking of making submissions.

 The Inquiry panel will begin hearing submissions on 20 March 2000.

DAVID CAYGILL
CHAIRMAN

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