5. Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) Link to this
to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Does he consider the publication How to make a submission in support of Project Mill Creek, a brochure prepared by Meridian Energy advising people how to make submissions supporting its plans for a wind farm in Ōhāriu Valley, to be appropriate behaviour by a State-owned enterprise; if so, why?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for State Owned Enterprises) Link to this
The decision to release the publication is an operational issue that was taken by the board of Meridian Energy. I do expect Meridian Energy to comply with the Resource Management Act 1991, and the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986, and I am advised that the brochure does not contravene either of those Acts.
Does the Minister consider it acceptable that a State-owned enterprise should be using public funds to attempt to inflate the number of favourable submissions on its cause, to then influence the course of a resource consent process being carried out by the Wellington City Council?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Inviting people who are supportive to have their say in an appropriate manner is an advantage to democracy, not something that is wrong.
Gerry BrownleeCan the Minister confirm that Meridian Energy has had to have recourse to this particular action because it cannot trust the Resource Management Act to deliver it the opportunity to contribute to the Government’s very ambitious renewable energy target, and that had the Government taken steps to ensure that the Resource Management Act was reformed to make renewable energy a greater priority, then this sort of action might not need to be taken?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
That decision was made in about 2005 and legislated for at that point. My understanding is that in Meridian Energy’s experience, every application it has made has been approved.
Hon Marian HobbsHas the Minister seen any reports about State-owned enterprises and their responsibilities to the communities they operate in?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Yes, I have. I have seen a report from last year that the Hon Bill English would like to sell the companies, whereas a report from John Key this year stated that he would sell only the assets. In fact, I understand that he has recently been discussing sale and lease-back arrangements with Australian financiers for State-owned enterprise—
Hon Dr Nick SmithHon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Well, I say to Dr Smith that some of us can understand the difference between a lease and lease-back, and a sale and lease-back.
Does the Minister’s answer to my earlier supplementary question mean that it is now, in his view, perfectly appropriate for any State-owned enterprise to use taxpayers’ money to go out and campaign for a cause that it sees as important, even though there might be substantive public opposition; if so, where does he draw the line in terms of what is acceptable and what is seeking to influence the course of a particular regulatory decision?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
As Minister for State Owned Enterprises I am very reluctant to intervene in operational decisions of this sort made by State-owned enterprises. One would have seen that by the repeated evidence from Dr Don Elder attacking the Government, using Solid Energy money.