Debate on Crown Entities, Public Organisations,and State Enterprises — Electricity Commission

I thank the Labour members for making their contributions short, although those contributions were somewhat numerous on a number of issues that probably did not need any comment, at all.

Most certainly the Electricity Commission does need comment. Surely, no more useless quango has ever been set up by any Government than this one. It was set up in 2002 because we had a crisis in that year with low lake levels and the potential for blackouts in some of our larger cities. Since the Electricity Commission took over, New Zealanders have paid for that every time they switch on the light. Every time New Zealanders turn on the electricity anywhere in their houses or businesses they pay for this particular quango. What has it achieved in its time in existence? It has achieved nothing less than a 48 percent price rise for electricity. That is what it has presided over.

The other thing that is really disturbing about this organisation is that it has completely failed to deal with some of the transmission deficit in this country. We cannot get all of the power capable of being produced in the South Island out of the South Island, because our transmission is not strong enough. Our largest city, Auckland, is under constant threat in relation to the security of its supply, because we do not have strong enough transmission going into that area. Although it might be easy to say that Transpower has mucked us up, the reality is that Transpower cannot do anything without the approval of the Electricity Commission.

Some in this Chamber will remember that last year the substation at Ōtāhuhu failed. A simple guy rope broke because a shackle failed. Ministers in the Government said: “Well, look, Electricity Commission, we want this fixed up, please.” Transpower came to the party and within a month it had a proposal to ensure that that would never happen again. Well, here we are 11 months later and the Electricity Commission still has not made up its mind as to whether that proposal should progress.

Report noted.

The time for the debate has expired. The debate on the performance in 2005-06 of the current operations of Crown entities, public organisations, and State enterprises is therefore concluded. I will report the debate to the House.

House resumed.

I move, That the report be adopted.