Labour lies on power prices

Radio NZ reports:

Infrastructure investor Infratil says the Labour Party’s portrayal of how much New Zealand electricity prices have gone up in the past three years is misleading.

A graph on Labour leader David Shearer’s Facebook page – using Government data for 14 countries – shows New Zealand was one of only two where electricity prices rose between 2009 – 2012.

Bruce Harker, the head of Infratil’s manager’s energy team and TrustPower chairman, said the list of countries put forward by Labour omits Australia, where electricity prices have risen much more than in New Zealand.

Dr Harker said the comparisons being made are misleading and although if it’s converted to New Zealand dollars it appears the electricity price has fallen in other countries, the reason for that is that the New Zealand dollar has appreciated so much over that period of time.

He said consumers in Britain, Denmark or Norway would say their prices have gone up 15% – 20% in that period.

That’s outraegous – to use exchange rate changes to make it appear power prices have not shifted in other countries. Intellectually absolutely dishonest. Unless consumers in Denmark and Norway pay their power bills in NZ dollars, it is meaningless. The graph should show the actual increases in each country.

Labour finance spokesperson David Parker, a former minister of energy, concedes power prices have gone up more in other countries than in New Zealand.

So Parker admits Labour lied.