Alliance Party media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday 30 May 2007

Death of Auckland woman in power scandal is a devastating indictment of New Zealand today

The Alliance Party says the death of an Auckland woman yesterday after her oxygen machine failed when electricity was cut off to her home is a indictment of a society where money comes before people.

Alliance Party President Victor Billot says the death of the woman was all the more preventable as it appears at least some electricity staff were informed of her personal situation.

"This is a terrible personal tragedy, but at its root is a political cause – this is a direct result of the free market system in electricity where company profits now overrule basic civilized behaviour."

"The money was more important than the safety, health and wellbeing of a New Zealander. That is a devastating indictment of where New Zealand is heading as a profit-driven society dominated by corporate interests and greed."

Mr Billot says there needs to be a full investigation as to the events leading up to the incident where Mercury Energy cut off the power to the woman's house.

"What we don't want now is a smother up and a white wash – we want to have the corporate bosses held responsible for what their company does, and we want the investigation to look into how the privatization and corporatization of electricity has led us to this situation."

The Alliance has consistently called for the public control of electricity with democratic, transparent management to ensure that all New Zealanders have access to affordable power.

Mr Billot says under such a "public good" system, the Auckland tragedy could never have occurred.

"Many New Zealanders will be going without power this winter because they can't afford it. Will it take more tragedies before the profit system is dumped and we replace it with a system that actually looks after human beings?"

ENDS

© Scoop Media