SOE REGULATIONS LIKELY IN WAKE OF MANGERE DEATH.

The Minister of State Owned Enterprises Trevor Mallard says the Government could soon create mandatory regulations for New Zealand's SOEs.

Mr. Mallard was speaking on TVOne's "Agenda" in the wake of the death of Mangere woman Folole Muliaga after an SOE owned power company cut power to her ventilator.

Mr. Mallard said he didn't think power companies should cut power off people on low incomes who owed small amounts of money. Instead the case should be referred to WINZ "or an appropriate authority."

He said Ministry for Economic Development has been investigating these options for some time.

"I think we are going to have to head in that direction, because it's clear to me that some of the companies working with poorer people and sicker people have not been doing what most thinking New Zealanders would require of them," he said.

SOE MINISTER SAID HEADS MAY ROLL
The Minister of State Owned Enterprises Trevor Mallard says if human error is at fault for Mangere woman Folole Muliaga's death, resignations would be called for.

The Mangere woman died after an SOE owned power company cut off power to her oxygen ventilator.

Asked on TVOne's 'Agenda' today if he expected resignations if an element of culpability was found relating to the death, Mr. Mallard said: "Well clearly I will, yes".

Mr. Mallard said if people are found to have missed or misconstrued key facts in this case, they should not hold such positions of employment.

"But in my opinions some one will who cut the power off not withstanding seeing a person with a tube coming out of their throat is some one who has not got the proper training or judgment to do that job".

But Mr. Mallard cautioned that all the facts in the case should be established before any official call or condemnation should be made.

"First of all we need to make sure we have all of the facts and that there are facts established that either a proper system was not in place or an error was made by an individual. Then there should be proper accountability and there are different sorts of accountability. But it is still with the police and I think we have to take care not to judge their investigations as for either the individuals or companies concerned."

BROWNLEE - NATIONAL HINTS AT REVISING THE SOE MODEL IF IN POWER

National's deputy leader Gerry Brownlee says National would review SOEs if the party became the Government after the next election.

Speaking on TVOne's 'Agenda' programme this morning, Mr. Brownlee said the model was out of date.

"We don't see any great need to go and make radical changes but I do think that we should recognise that the SOE model is 20 years old now, the idea itself is 30 years old," he said.

Mr. Brownlee said there was a lack of definition regarding what an SOE's role was in New Zealand and a review was needed.

"I think if you go back and ask yourself the question why the state owns these various businesses and you've got a clear answer as to why that is then that it will give you the sort of parameters for how you judge the social responsibility."

"I think we need to start considering how we have the sort of accountabilities that Trevor Mallard seems to think he should have in SOEs."

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