Pippa Coom
Auckland, October 5, 2024
Power in the hands of one party for 30 years – that does not sound very democratic, does it? And yet that is the situation Entrust has found itself in, ever since its origins as the Auckland Consumer Energy Trust.
Since Day One, the Communities and Residents (C&R) ticket has controlled Entrust as its own fiefdom, hanging onto all five Trustee positions every three years.
In 2009, in hopes of being a Trustee, I stood as an Independent.
I thought that I had a fair chance, and I knew that I had something to offer.
As a former Vector lawyer, I understood the field, and I wanted to serve the interests of the community.
Additional Reading
Independents urge Aucklanders to evince interest in Entrust
Democracy Distorted
I quickly discovered this was a contest stacked against newcomers, the normal democratic process heavily distorted in favour of the incumbents by a well-feathered campaign, low turnout and a cumbersome postal voting system.
Afterwards, I wrote about that experience and how a lack of voter awareness combined with media incuriosity essentially handed the trust to one party.
I ventured a prediction: “It will be interesting to see what the media and electricity consumers make in future of power cuts, under-investment in energy infrastructure, rising energy bills, excessive Trustee fees, unsustainable dividend payments, a lack of community engagement by the Trust or any of the range of issues facing Vector and the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust (AECT).”
These issues, already visible on the horizon in 2009, can no longer be ignored.
For decades, C&R has failed to tackle them, leaving Auckland households worse off as a result. Worse, C&R dominance of the Trust gifts them two Trustees on the board of Vector (each receiving an extra $107,000 pa director fee), where they also hold back innovation.
they show no ambition to support consumers beyond doling out an annual dividend that continues to shrink in value.
And over the years, the Entrust election has become even less democratic. In 2021, (the late Journalist and Commentator) Rod Oram wrote of the 2018 election “C&R made it a real turnoff, hence only 12.44% of voters cast their ballots” (Chance to clean out an Auckland shambles). Incredibly, the 2021 turnout plummeted even further than that record low, to a mere 9.5%.
Voting numbers decline
You would think that as Trustees, C&R would be concerned about this. Surely they would want a proper mandate. Instead, they have done next to nothing to reverse the decline in voting. This is shocking. It is completely within their power to modernise the two-week postal voting system, which is no longer fit for purpose, with fewer post boxes, and far less frequent mail deliveries.
It seems that it suits the incumbents that the voting system they control creates multiple hurdles to participation. This is not just about remembering to post a ballot.
Just one example of the many barriers: in 2018, the City Vision team discovered that the C&R Entrust Trustees had actually banned the independent Electoral Officer from promoting the Entrust election turnout! Entrust has
The way C&R runs the election is even more of a barrier for apartment dwellers and renters, which includes many young people. Only the person whose name is on the power account receives the voting papers. They also receive the annual dividend, conveniently timed to arrive just before the election.
In an apartment building, it is often the body corporate on behalf of all the residents who get the voting papers. In a flat, it could be the landlord, a person who does not live there, or a flatmate who quietly pockets the dividend and bins the ballot without the other flatmates knowing.
And forget about a special vote from out of town or overseas – because there is only a two-week voting window. This year, the Electoral Officer recommends posting voting papers by October 21 to arrive in time for election day on October 25.
Booths in Woolworth Supermarkets
In 2024, there will be the option to use ballot boxes located at 10 Woolworth supermarkets across the Entrust District, up until election day.
But this overdue “innovation” has come too little, too late – and there is no information yet about which Supermarkets, and where (as of 4 October the Entrust “election resource” page is empty and there has been zero promotion of the election coming up in less than a week).
Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the election is the timing of the annual dividend just before voting starts. It is cunning stuff: the dividend lands in voters’ accounts just ahead of the election period, is misleadingly mentioned in electioneering, and the Trustees’ names and faces are all over the official messages about the dividend and benefit from extensive advertisements paid for by Entrust.
This muddying of the field is not allowed in local government elections and for a good reason. The Parliamentary Justice Committee inquiry into the Entrust Election in 2021 found that “payouts made just prior to an energy Trust election could be seen as influencing voters in favour of the existing Board.”
The Entrust election cannot be approached as if it is a normal democratic election.
C&R candidates do not even bother to campaign in person or attend public meetings to defend their policies or records, and as the election nears, we are seeing this same lazy approach in 2024.
A better option
This is terrible for Auckland and democracy. Luckily, there is a better option.
That is why I am running for the Entrust Board on an independent ticket called More for You, Better for Auckland. It is time for a proper 21st-century approach to our City’s power needs.
We have a great team that promises fresh leadership, expertise in innovation, and a vision for a more affordable power and a more resilient system.
We are motivated to run because there is so much at stake, and now is the time to seize the opportunities that the incumbents have been sitting on all this time.
Entrust controls a $2.8 billion asset on behalf of the community.
With visionary leadership and smart investment, there is so much potential to lower power bills, secure the energy supply and build community resilience.
More for You, Better for Auckland will deliver the innovation, diversity, transparency and accountability that Entrust needs.
We have the fresh skills, experience, and solutions-focused policies to take Entrust forward for Auckland. You might have seen our colourful billboards. Check us out – we’re up for the challenge.
Voting starts Thursday 10 October, and 364,000 households will have the opportunity to ensure that Entrust does more for you and is better for Auckland.
Look out for the Entrust voting papers in your letterbox.
Do whatever it takes to get them in the mail by Monday, 21 October, or into a supermarket ballot box near you before election day Friday, 25 October. The power is yours!
Pippa Coom was born in London and moved to Auckland with her family when she was 14 years old. She attended the Auckland Girls’ Grammar School and has a law degree from the University of Otago. Following a legal career, in early 2009, Pippa became a full-time volunteer in the community, focused on cycling advocacy, community development and sustainability. Pippa was first elected to the Auckland Council in 2010. She was Deputy Chair and Chair of the Waitematā Local Board during the 2019–2022 term and was the Ward Councillor for Waitematā and Gulf. She is currently the Chair of Aaiotanga Peace Place Trust and a Member of the Auckland Conservation Board. Pippa is a candidate with More for You, Better for Auckland, an independent team of Aucklanders standing for the Entrust election of the five Trustees.
