Hon Max Bradford
Minister for Enterprise and Commerce
MEDIA RELEASE
8th November 1999
Here We Go Again
“The Alliance has unveiled another backward policy that would increase power prices for Kiwi families and businesses,”
Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford said today.
“By recombining the ‘baby ECNZs’ and including Transpower, the Alliance would rob consumers of the benefits of
competition and force wholesale power prices up,” he said.
“Alliance leader Jim Anderton blames the power reforms for the Auckland power crisis.
“He should do his homework and read the report on the Auckland crisis which showed that Mercury Energy failed to
maintain its assets over a long period.
“Mr Anderton’s answer is to recreate the old system which made a hash of electricity production and presided over the
1992 energy crisis.
“The simple fact is a competitive energy market provides not only lower power prices, but stronger incentives for
managing risks than a centralised monopoly,” Mr Bradford said.
ENDS