Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Smith Nick: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:4334] 
10.  
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy 
: Has he received any reports that the price of electricity is the thing most worrying Grey Power members throughout the country as stated by the national president of Grey Power Graham Stairmand? 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister of Energy) 
: 
 I am aware of Grey Power’s concerns and accept that adequate and affordable heating is important for the elderly. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Does the Minister agree with the statement made by Helen Clark to a Grey Power conference in April 1999 that superannuitants faced “a winter of misery” because of power price increases that were 3 percent and what sort of winter is it for our elderly this year who face power price increases of 10 percent? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I do agree with the comments the Prime Minister made then which were made against the background of the slashing of the superannuation baseline for superannuitants. 
Darren Hughes 
: Can the Minister tell the House what the Labour-led Government has done to assist low-income older people to meet their power bills? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: The Government has restored the baseline for superannuitants that was cut by the previous Government and has increased it further pursuant to the confidence and supply agreement with New Zealand First this year. We have vastly increased the amount and eligibility criteria for the rates rebate scheme and have introduced a low fixed-charge option for those who use less that 8000 kilowatts of electricity each year. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How does he explain a 32.4 percent increase in power prices between 2000 and 2005 as compared with inflation over the same period of 12.5 percent and increases in power prices from 1995 to 2000 of 14 percent? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: The main reason has been that Maui gas was running out. Until Maui gas ran out it was an artificial suppressant to the price of power because the price of Maui gas which set the market price of electricity increased at half the rate of inflation. Because that gas was depleting there was a need for more gas exploration to be done and there was a need to encourage generation in electricity in all fields. Accordingly it was necessary to remove price control from Maui gas and that has been the cause of the price increases. 
Peter Brown 
: Does the Minister accept it is distinctly feasible that the New Zealand First - Labour confidence and supply agreement item regarding the golden age card could in fact offer— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Where is the card? 
Peter Brown 
: —distinct and significant power rebates when it comes to fruition later this year? 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. You have consistently tried to encourage order in the House. You have in the past consistently dealt with members who break the Standing Orders and interject on a member while he or she is asking a question. From right beside you the booming voice of Gerry Brownlee came through the House midway through Peter Brown’s question and no censure was made. I ask you to deal with that. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Speaking to the point of order— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I do not need any assistance. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I was wrong. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well that is helpful. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I was wrong. I withdraw and apologise. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is all right. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Could I say something please Mr Brownlee? Thank you. I have been asking members when both questions and answers are given to respect the member who is speaking at that time. The odd interjection does not seem to me to impede the hearing of the question; it is a barrage that is offensive to everyone. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I think you need to let Mr Brown who asked the question know that asking a question about the non-appearance so far of the golden age card is not appropriate to the question on the sheet. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well it is quite wide of the mark—and we have had a couple of those today—but if the Minister would like to answer he should be very brief. 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: Conceivably it could but I have no work programme to achieve that currently. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I am a little concerned now about our process because that answer to a question may not have been heard. Are we to take it that the Government does not have the golden age card on its work programme for the foreseeable future? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: No the Minister of Energy gave a reply and strangely enough the golden age card is not a ministerial responsibility of the Minister of Energy. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I think that that was in the realm of the hypothetical. 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I seek clarification of the ruling you have just given. Are you now saying contrary to the fact that in the past you have thrown members out of the House for interjecting on their own on a person who is asking a question that the odd interjection during the asking of a question as long as it is not part of a barrage is acceptable? Is that a correct understanding of what you have said? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I have asked all parties—and the member may like to consult with New Zealand First’s whip—to get a discussion going at the Business Committee on how we can in fact get more order in the House. It is not the rigid enforcement of rules that is important; it is ensuring that both questions and answers can be heard. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: When we have a chorus as wide as Grey Power the chambers of commerce Business New Zealand the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment even Government sweetheart Colin James and even the Government’s own power companies like Meridian Energy Mighty River Power and Genesis Energy all damning the Government’s energy policies will the Minister accept that this area is just a shambles? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: No I will not. I also make the point in relation to price increases that some sectors have not actually had real price increases. Notably the commercial and industrial tariffs have in real terms stayed about static. There has been quite a significant increase in residential prices but that is not seen in the industrial and commercial tariffs in the market model. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the electricity price index from 1995 to 2005 showing an increase in power prices of 32.4 percent since Labour came to office. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.