Labour MP Pete Hodgson has again shown his contempt for consumers as he tries to fudge Labour’s appalling record of backing monopolies when it comes to the power reforms, Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford said today.

“Mr Hodgson is being disingenuous when he accuses Prime Minister Jenny Shipley of misleading the public.

“He knows damn well that over a million consumers are paying, or can pay less for power than they paid before the reforms, if they switch supplier.

“Hodgson just hates consumers getting a better deal when it proves Labour was wrong in opposing the reforms,” Mr Bradford said.

Mr Bradford said Labour’s response was to recreate ECNZ at great expense, which would see wholesale power prices rise dramatically.

“Sixty per cent of households now have a choice of electricity retailer – up from 51 per cent in May.

“In addition, 62 per cent of households can now pay less for their electricity than in April 1998, up from 56 per cent, he said.

“These are facts that no amount of Labour politicking can hide,” Mr Bradford said.

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