MEDIAWATCH: Why I despise all NZ Power Company TV adverts

1. I’m sure you have given voice to most of us Martyn. Luckily I gave up tv some years ago and so am not under the influence of the mood-arousing medium. I may take up the ouija board as my preferred medium.

2. Even more annoying than those ads is the fact few seem to remember that the power generation and lines companies only exist by bludging on what were publicly produced and owned assets paid for by taxpayers. Largely hydro power generation and a national grid.

   Artificially created by National and continued by Labour and every party since. Another theft of the people’s property.

   • big tick tiger..there faux market doesn’t function except to rip off kiwis because that’s it’s actual business not the provision of domestic electricity.

     corporate propaganda as empty and hollow as any other, probably actually damages their ‘brand’ as we sit there going ‘well that’s obvious horse shit’

   • And remember privatization & increased competition leads to better efficiency, service & price for consumer. 😉

     • Exactly! Which is why nearly 1 million Kiwis need Winter Energy Payments from the government. Oh wait …

     • I remember when, in 1999? we were paying 8.5 c/unit via Waipa District Council. Shipley decided ideologically that power should be privatised. My husband was a senior manager at another PowerCo. Went to consultation in Wgtn where some of them begged the Govt no to do it because it wouldnt be economic. They told them there would be a doubling of the electricity price in the next ten years. What is it now? 26c?/unit?

3. Normally I’m not a fan of censorship. But I’ll make an exception for power company ads – they’re an offense against decency.

   Loved your comments Martyn.

4. Totes Mart. I effing hate all those ads and that pink monster as well. Blech!!

5. Thanks Bomber my sentiments exactly.

6. Thanks for putting a smile on my face Martyn

7. There is no good reason for these different companies with different ways to rort you on the particular ways they bill you for an essential service to exist, and these advertisements simply add insult to privatized injury.

8. At least the power companies pay for their own ads. Waka Kotahi spends our money and lots of it telling us what a great job they’re doing making our roads safe. The condition of our roads is a scandal. Another broken promise so fuck them. I agree with Martyn that the power adds are shit. Advertisements by their nature only tell half truths at best. The power companies use ads to sell a product and in doing so misrepresent the facts. Waka Kotahi does the same.

9. yeh a big Fuck Off to all these power companies who make lovey dovey family friendly ads with everything warm and fuzzy while the reality is we are paying more for power than we ever have before and it shows in their profits,

   We need to Go Sri Lankan

10. And one more GFY. The 49% of private shareholders who scammed shares for free.

11. What is this “TV” and “Advertisements” of which you speak?

    Given the rapidly aging demographic that is the TV watching audience I do wonder what the advertisers think they’re doing with all this? Maybe the power companies are just stuck in the past and the advertising companies are happy to indulge their delusions and grab the cash?

    In any case, why are you whinging about the power companies charges. The government should simply be giving money to the poor so they can buy power, just as they buy food and medicines – or will this implied “Nationalise it” argument going to be extended to farming as well? Even the Old Left of Labour thought that was stupid but it’s the logical endpoint, and no reductio ad absurdum either given the history of the Left around the world.

    BTW, in going for renewables you’re absolutely ensuring that we’ll be paying two or three times as much for power in the near future, as Germany and California have discovered.

    • Yeah of course Tom. Burning fossil fuels has no cost associated with it all

      • Everything has a cost – as the Euros are doscovering, hence their decision to declare not only nuclear to be cool for the climate but also…. natural gas!!! I understand Greta is upset but compared to millions of angry voters the Euro pollies can wear her anger and disdain.

        Here, I’m just looking forward to the likes of you explaining $10/litre petrol to Labour voters (won’t worry the Greens in their leafy suburbs of course), plus the power blackouts.

        But never fear; the National Party, more sensitive to the fence shifting away from their butt cracks than to the splinters, will likely carry an equal amount of water on this in order to gain power. As a result, when the angry crowds come with the pitchforks and burning torches, you’ll be able to point at the likes of Luxon and say, “But they did it too”.

        BTW, it’s a demonstrated fact that the richer a country is the better it can cope with natural disasters, including weather ones. Since nothing that NZ does will make a damned bit of difference to the climate are you absolutely sure that our “Net Zero” goal won’t make us poorer in coping with the “catastrophic” events that are coming?

12. I guess this is the result of the right selling off power co’s when the New Zealand public voted against doing so in a referendum. But the right believe in dictatorship governments. What did they spend all the income they gained from selling off the power co’s on?
    What with the rights low wage economy and higher power prices, it is a timely reminder to voters how immoral right wing governments are.

    • That was only National at the end, copying the good old 4th Labour government. Besides, Key and company were such pussies that they only sold 49%.

      Still, I never got to thank you and yours for driving down the price of the shares at offer; got them much cheaper than I expected given their revenue flows, so well done in making capitalists a little richer.

      Speaking of which we shareholders are looking forward to Net Zero, judging by the massive power increases I see in Germany. As the Sage of Omaha has said about wind farms, “If we didn’t get tax credits we wouldn’t build them”. No wonder he’s worth more than $60 billion; treating Greenies the way he treated smokers.

      • And yet, we human beings don’t side with either cheek of your neoliberal a**.

    • It was new schools and hospitals Bert. I know cos John Key told me so!

13. Back around the turn of the century I wrote and told Max Bradford that he was a kunt for his electricity market deforms.
    It sure made me feel better even if it was totally ineffective.

14. Maaaaaaate! They’re all at it whether it’s power companies, fuel companies, banks or corporatised gummint departments.
    I think they must be slow learners because they shudda cudda wudda realised by now this sort of shit is what is pissing people off the most – especially when they see the PR and spin does not reflect the true experience of clients and customers (in that space, going forward).
    I’m pretty sure I saw a rather glum looking Andrew Little this arvo at Lyall Bay’s Spruce Goose – could be wrong – but I suspect he might be coming around to the realisation that things ain’t working – something most already knew. Let’s hope so.
    I almost felt sorry for him till I reminded myself that pushing shit uphill is, and always has been a thankless task.
    I reckon Labour have about 3 months to get their shit together and get a few runs on the board – but so far the signs aren’t great.
    Oh – and then I got home to be confronted by a major announcement about to break from the Grant and the Megan.
    Here’s me thinking it was about to be something truly shocking. I should have known better

    • In fairness to the government departments- at least they are sometimes trying to spread a good message (‘Don’t drink 15 beers and drive home after 2am’). We can’t say that for power or fuel companies or banks, all of which should be nationalized.

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