Young Jonathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeYoung Jonathan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 18 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9549. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) to theMinister of Energy and Resources: What recent reports has he received on electricity market performance?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Energy and Resources): I have received the Electricity Authority’s review of 2012 released publicly yesterday which outlines three extremely positive developments: increased competition in the retail market increased activity on the futures market and improved hydro management in response to a dry year. This is further evidence that the Government’s 2010 electricity market reforms are bedding in well and delivering greater competition and improved security of supply.Jonathan Young: What reports has the Minister seen on the numbers of consumers taking advantage of greater competition in the electricity market?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: The member will be pleased to know New Zealanders are increasingly switching companies for a better deal. Since the What’s My Number campaign began in May 2011 nearly 700000 consumer switches have been recorded.Latest figures show that 2013 is off to a great start in terms of electricity switching which is yet more evidence of consumers understanding they have options and switching to achieve the best plan for themselves.Jonathan Young: What reports has the Minister seen on trends in electricity prices in New Zealand?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I have seen figures that show prices rose by 72 percent under the last Labour Government or 8 percent year on year. Figures also show that this Government has slowed that growth to under 5 percent a year. If the public had had the ability to switch retailers as easily as they do now I think we would have seen millions switching under Labour.Hon Trevor Mallard: Have power prices increased by 70 percent more than the rate of inflation in the last 20 years and at nearly six times the rate of inflation in the latest year to 31 March?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I have already said I cannot specifically answer whether that precise figure is correct. What is very clear is that the figures showed a sharp rise of over 70 percent when he was a Minister and collected all the dividends.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The answer the Minister gave is simply impossible to believe given his answers to the supplementary questions from Jonathan Young because he actually quoted many of the figures in answer to a patsy question from one of his own members. There is simply no way he can credibly claim he does not know.Mr SPEAKER: Well that is over to the Minister to decide and for the Minister to make that statement that he does not know is enough—Hon Anne Tolley: If the Opposition members had allowed the Minister to finish any of the answers to the supplementary questions they may well have got some of the information he has now spoken.Hon Trevor Mallard: We have had a problem this week with the Prime Minister—Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.Hon Trevor Mallard: —remembering between one supplementary question and another and what an answer was but this is even worse. We have a Minister who is forgetting the answer that he gave for a prior supplementary question from less than 30 seconds earlier. You cannot believe that a Minister forgets over that period.Mr SPEAKER: I have listened very carefully to questions and answers through the day. The Minister is quite entitled to stand and say that he cannot confirm the particular information that was outlined in the member’s question.