KEY POINTS:
The Mercury Energy contractor who cut power to the Muliaga house has told a court Folole Muliaga's protestations were no different from those of anyone threatened with disconnection.
"In almost every case where you do a disconnection for arrears, people always ask for a chance."
The man -
who can be referred to only as Mr A - said Mrs Muliaga had asked him for an opportunity to pay the $168.40 outstanding, but he denied Muliaga lawyers' claims that she had "begged" and "pleaded" with him.
Such requests were common in the 1000-odd disconnections he had carried out, he said.
"I thought it was just like all the customers when you disconnect them for arrears, they want a chance to pay their bills."
Mrs Muliaga, 45, died at her Mangere Bridge, Manukau City, home on May 29 last year, three hours after Mr A carried out the disconnection.
Cutting the power disabled an oxygen machine Mrs Muliaga - who was morbidly obese - relied on up to 16 hours a day.
Mr A told the Auckland Coroner's Court he had seen no oxygen machine or cords while in the house, but had noticed Mrs Muliaga had tubes in her nose.
Mr A said he had provided Mrs Muliaga with information about getting the power restored and assured her it could be reconnected quickly. Neither Mrs Muliaga nor the son who was present gave any indication of a medical situation that required the electricity remain on, he said.
Earlier, senior Mercury executive James Moulder said the company could have done more to recognise "vulnerable consumers", but Mrs Muliaga's death had led to change.
Mercury Energy appeared at the time "not to have been fulsome in its compliance with the [vulnerable customer] guidelines" applicable to state-owned enterprises.
"That is now no longer the case.
"The way in which the company now looks at these sorts of consumers is that we now consider all our customers to be vulnerable."
Mr Moulder told the court Mercury had spent "certainly a seven-figure sum" meeting new industry compliance guidelines introduced following Mrs Muliaga's death.
Industry changes included:
* Communicating with customers in six languages.
* Considering all customers to be potentially vulnerable consumers.
* The establishment of customer teams that could liaise with community organisations such as budgeting agencies.
Mr Moulder said the company was formulating protocols for seeking information from district health boards, and power companies were now obliged to report annually to the Electricity Commission.
The hearing is expected to finish at the end of next week.
