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Let the Central Hawke's Bay Consumer Power Trust know you don't support Centralines funding a dam with public money:
Centralines has granted Tukituki Water Security Ltd $200,000.
What’s wrong with that?
BACKGROUND
Centralines is the power company that manages the CHB power grid, distributing electricity and charging customers.
The customers own the grid, and elect the CHB Power Consumers’ Trust (CHBPCT) to oversee how it’s used. The CHBPCT in turn appoints the directors of Centralines to manage the business.
So, in theory, CHB power consumers control Centralines, which works for them.
If Centralines makes a profit, it ‘belongs to’ the power consumers who own the grid. Centralines can return the money to its customers as rebates or dividends – credits on their power bill, or cash into their bank accounts. It can also spend the money in ways that benefit their business, or the wider CHB community.
Tukituki Water Security Ltd is a private company, with a single shareholder owner – Mike Petersen, a local farmer. The company seems to be the commercial arm of the Tukituki Water Security Project, which is promoting the resurrection of the Ruataniwha Dam. Mike Petersen’s company, TWSL, spent the $200,000 to get a report that says the TWSP’s dam proposal is a good idea.
THE ISSUES
1. The $200,000 belonged to CHB power consumers, and they should have known about such a big grant, and have had a say. The money could have been used to reduce their power bills.
2. Centralines is keeping quiet about the grant of $200,000. The Chair of Centralines, Ian Walker, has refused to make a public announcement about it. The grant does not appear on Centralines’ financial reports.
3. There are apparent conflicts of interest. Two of Centralines’ directors, Ian Walker and Sarah von Dadelszen, who agreed to the grant, are also members of the Tukituki Water Security Project, which is pushing for the dam. The money has been spent on a cause they support.
WHY SIGN THE PETITION?
Wise Water Use organised the petition because we think all other options for wise water use should be considered BEFORE a huge dam is built. At present, vast quantities of water are used to irrigate grass and crops for dairy cows. For instance, a single dairy farm uses more water than the entire township of Waipukurau.
Water is currently allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, which is unfair and encourages greed and wasteful use of water. We believe that if this limited resource is used wisely, there will be enough for everyone.
By signing the petition, you are telling the CHB Power Consumers’ Trust that you DO NOT AGREE to the grant of $200,000 by Centralines to a private company that is pushing for a dam; and you are also asking the CHBPCT to remove “water storage” from the list of community causes that Centralines can support.
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