Turangi Electricity Network Reform Group

A Petition to Parliament About The Lines Company’s Charges

Businesses and citizens of the Turangi district are invited to take part in a Parliamentary Petition outlined here.

SIGNATURE SHEET

TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

This petition

“requests that the House of Representatives urge the Government to undertake a full, independent and transparent review of The Lines Company and its peak demand charging regime, and/or that it give consideration to transferring electricity distribution in the Central North Island to another provider to ensure an equitable and fair outcome for the citizens and businesses of Turangi.”

If you wish to support this petition, please sign this form, and as well, bring it to the attention of whanau, tenants and other residents. Any person can sign this petition but do not sign more than once. The petition has been posted to ratepayers with the August 2014 rates demands for Turangi properties courtesy of the Taupo District Council as this is seen to be an effective way of reaching ratepayers and tenants, both residents and non-residents. If you supply an e-mail address this will enable further information to be sent.

Return this signature sheet to the Petitioner, P.O. Box 126, Turangi 3353, or by hand at the Taupo District Council’s Turangi Office, or to Bayleys Real Estate Office in Turangi on or before 20 August 2014. It is likely that the petition will be delivered to Parliament in October 2014, when a new parliament sits.

COVER SHEET

TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The petition of Alasdair McNab, 497 Matariki St, Tokaanu, RD1 Turangi and XXXX others

Respectfully requests that

“the House of Representatives urge the Government to undertake a full, independent and transparent review of The Lines Company and its peak demand charging regime, and/or that it give consideration to transferring electricity distribution in the Central North Island to another provider to ensure an equitable and fair outcome for the citizens and businesses of Turangi.”

The outcomes of these changes would produce an infrastructure adjustment which will improve the quality of citizens’ lives and assist business viability because

· electricity distribution will cost less as charges will be based more on user-pays principles which citizens understand and accept rather than ad hoc peak load recipes based on time of use meters or formulas,

· there will be a level playing field amongst businesses in Taupo and Turangi, and

· Turangi users will no longer subsidise Taumarunui users.

Overall the transfer of the highly lucrative Tokaanu Grid Exit Point to another network will provide good quality and cost-effective infrastructure to people in Oruatua, Motuoapa, Turangi, Tokaanu, Waihi, Pukawa, Omori, Kuratau, Whareroa, and rural areas, as required by the Local Government Act.

The principal petitioner, a member of the Turangi Electricity Network Reform Group has, with others and for some five years, referred problems to the notice of the Commerce Commission, the Electricity Authority, the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commission, the Ministers of Energy and Commerce and other members of Parliament, including Louise Upston, M.P. for Taupo. These referrals have produced virtually no change at all: they are characterized by unsatisfactory outcomes or communication breakdown.

Petition to be delivered to the House by Louise Upston M.P.