KEY POINTS:
The coroner's hearing into the events which saw an Auckland woman on an oxygen machine die after her power was turned off due to an unpaid bill begins tomorrow.
Hamilton coroner Gordon Matenga will preside over the hearing at Auckland Coroner's Court into the death of south Auckland woman Folole Muliaga, 44, on May 29 last year.
Mrs Muliaga, 44, of Mangere, died in May last year after the power to her home was cut by a Mercury Energy contractor because of an overdue power bill of $168.40.
The power cut stopped Mrs Muliaga's oxygen machine, and she died a few hours later.
Mrs Muliaga's family have maintained the contractor who cut the power saw the oxygen machine but ignored pleas from the family not to switch the power off.
Mercury Energy apologised for the incident after a couple of days, visited the family and attended her funeral.
Police chose not to lay a criminal prosecution over Mrs Muliaga's death.
The contractor who disconnected the power, who has name suppression, is expected to be a key witness.
Mr Matenga was chosen to preside over the hearing after Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean stepped down due to his friendship with Christchurch businessman Rex Williams.
Mr Williams is a director at MainPower, a customer of Mighty River Power, the parent company of Mercury Energy. He also sits on the Business Council for Sustainable Development alongside Mighty River Power chief executive Doug Heffernan.
Judge MacLean said he stepped aside because he wanted to avoid a perception of bias.
- NZPA
