Every one of them knows the meaning of putting the interests of consumers first. This extraordinary spray of claims and criticisms comes as a huge surprise. Kevin has never raised them with us or even hinted at them.
Perhaps Kevin's comments can be put down to election-time hysteria, something akin to "Jacinda-mania"? Or perhaps they are a panicked response to the negative public reaction to the "Power of Five" election agenda?
Last month, in announcing their combined candidacy, the "Power of Five" group said they wanted to engage with power consumers about capping dividends, spending the money instead on community projects.
The projects they have in mind are outside the scope of the trust deed. Current trustees are in tune with consumers and know there is no appetite for such a move.
The waters have been muddied by assertions that trust projects such as under-grounding and insulation initiatives, are the very same community projects the group have in mind.
This is nonsense. If this was the case, there would be no need for the "Power of Five". The trust deed would allow them to pursue their favoured community project with or without consultation.
The negative public reaction became immediately apparent from the likes of Grey Power.
They too have been on the end of some heated reaction.
Kevin says other candidates have misrepresented his position. So too then Grey Power and Hawke's Bay Today.
Now he says the "Power of Five" don't want to cap the dividend. He has taken an opportunity to have a go at current trustees. Good on him. This is politics after all. But no good crying foul when others come back and call you out on it.
Let's be very clear, the "Power of Five" candidates are advocating to use the dividend for community projects outside the scope of the trust deed.
No amount of wordplay, side-stepping or muddied waters gets away from that earlier declared position. That's why they have formed. Their agenda is to engage in public consultation with a view to making the deed change needed to spend the money in this way.
There is nothing wrong with the group advocating their position. No need to back-pedal and put up a smokescreen about these intentions. These are very good people with a huge level of credibility in the community. And it is a good thing for others to express a different view. That's how our democracy works.
Rather than have others kindly offer to spend their money for them, current trustees standing again, want power consumers to spend it themselves. We say "Your cheque - your choice"!
*Diana Kirton is standing in the Hawke's Bay Power Consumers' Trust elections. She is a current trustee and is also a board member of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board.
*Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz
