Wind turbines, by Melissa Wastney
I’ve been wondering whether the proposed sale of some of the state-owned companies would lead to an increase in power prices. Turns out the experts think it could well do, as seen here and here. There is the risk that power companies, in a bid to keep their profits up and their shareholders happy, will be forced to drive up their consumer prices. And there is another factor, as pointed out by Russel Norman here. He says that public companies force privately-owned ones to keep their prices down, in order to keep them more competitive. If the sales go through, the companies might provide a more reliable source of power, but could also lose some of their social responsibilities under the State Owned Enterprises Act.
But where does this leave NZ consumers, especially those who are vulnerable or on fixed low incomes, like many elderly people?
It will leave them more worried than ever about how far their pension will stretch during winter.
It was reported earlier this week that older NZers are having trouble keeping warm this winter, and have been employing any money-saving tactics they can think of, including wearing more woollens and turning off their heaters for fear of their looming power bills.
And today in the Eastern Courier a Greypower spokesperson complained that elderly people on superannuation were really starting to feel the cold this winter, as they were going without heating for financial reasons, and it was affecting their health. He says that it can pay to shop around for the cheapest power prices, but elderly people, who are often without the internet, were at another disadvantage there.
All this makes me seriously wonder whether our government has the needs of our most vulnerable citizens at heart.
aged matters 