Late last year in the pre-Christmas rush Gerry Brownlee unveiled some pretty dramatic changes to the electricity market. They were contained in the Electricity Industry Bill which received its first reading in Parliament.
At the time, the CEO of Powershop, a subsidiary of Meridian Energy, was very critical of the reforms proposed in the Bill. Brownlee complained to Meridian and it now looks like the CEO has been gagged.
It’s a shame that the National Party only seems to be in favour of freedom of speech when it likes the message being delivered.
Update: Hat tip to The Standard who first posted on this yesterday.
Do you have proof of Brownlee’s involvement?
brownlee shouted down the phone at meridien chair to get rid of the powershop guy
Par for the course from a bunch of dictators though which is what the National Party is.
I tend to agree with Draco.. – how many more examples of the Nats running around doing their powertripping do we need…of course they will shut down those who do not agree with them – often with dire consequences for those who have the moral fortitude to speak out. This behaviour shows more of how the Nats are eroding our democracy – as for Brownlee – he is no friend of the people.
The worst thing this country did was give the Nats the power to throw their weight around – no pun intended!
Chippie – as a big Powershop fan saw this and decided to leave to DPF on Kiwiblog because I know he is also a Powershop fan and he was a big supporter of transparency and Ministers acting appropriately.
Remember some of the fantasy stuff from Solid Energy when we were in government. We disagreed and said so – especially David Parker – but we defended the SOEs right to express their views.
Probably better we didn’t hold our breath waiting for the right to remember their principles.
how many other ministers are going around silencing dissent. why arent the papers questioning basher brownlle about bullying boyd chris?
@Mel – it depends on the portfolio – what I have heard of are examples of the quick squashing of people who speak out in health, justice and in education. When someone stands up against a ruling that is at best dodgy or a policy that is not liked, that person finds themselves in a tricky position – I have heard of how contracts have been lost,people losing their jobs, funding cut etc and there is a culture of put up and shut up developing – if you speak out then you will have to face a consequence.
Some democracy if the people can not even speak up against policy or actions of MPs that are not ok. ITs a culture of bullying being led from the top. Too many top level officials in various ministries allowed to run around squashing those who speak up in any way they see fit – at least Brownlee did his own bully boy tactics!
Hmmmmm, pot kettle black, madeline satchel, trevor mallard. The national party isn’t the only one who seeks to control the message being delivered.
I’ll be very surprised if this passes the trevor censors.
Be fair, I understand big Gezza gagged himself over the holidays, on a super whopper turkey burger that Rortney super sized for him.
@ Sweetd And both the Minister and the Chief Executive went under Labour. What happened to Setchell was wrong and it had consequences.
It will be interesting to see what happens in this case
My concern rests on the fact that in the last year it has been far more widespread than in recent history – and its not helped with foolish calls to ban groups from speaking out against a minister – as was the recent case in education where the call was to gagg teachers and principals from speaking out about the Minister and her ministry. You do have to ask who is behind the shutting down of people speaking out – or protesting – or even stating when something is wrong. AND, if Lab MPs do the same thing – either now or in the future – then its time to act with maturity and professionalism.
I am not suprised in the least.
They are bullies, they twist figures to suit them and they do what ever they have to do get their own way.
I’m over it.
@ Paul.
I have only just seen this post. Let me assure bullying behaviour was also prevalent in the late 1980s and 1990s. As a former public service whistle-blower (before the protective legislation) I had my career opportunities curtailed. A caveat was placed on me preventing me from speaking to anyone. Not long after that caveat appeared there was clear evidence that my home telephone was being tapped. Eventually I had no choice but to leave that Service which is now an SOE. Although my experiences began during the dying stages of the fourth Labour government, there was no evidence that they were a party to the shenanigans that were going on. But it was the advent of Rogernomics which created the atmosphere where this type of behaviour thrived.
So it isn’t surprising that it is happening again.
oops… a re-read of my comment reveals some incorrect wording. I should have said “Not long after the caveat was served…”
Hard time you went through there, Anne.
@ Spud.
Yes. It certainly was at the time. Very frightening. But I believe I came out of it a much wiser and clued up person.:)
Now what’s happened.
See if that works.
You didn’t press the spacebar between the fullstop and your face.
I had a headache and one eye was closed.
Eye problem? Tension headache?
[...] canvassed’. He then resorted to attacking the messenger, in much the same way he attacked PowerShop when they also raised [...]