Listen now (15 min) | Power watchdog wants actual watchdogs to probe electricity + broadband bundling for signs of profit padding by electricity gentailers; ComCom already looking at telco side of bundling
It should go without saying that 'permanent half-priced public transport' is just 'priced public transport'... Cabinet no doubt realised that and, for the relatively minimal investment, figured they're better off carrying on stringing along the grift - because the alternative ('no-price public transport') is unthinkable to the Ranger-owning voter base.
Omg Bernard, this inspired me to call my power company so they could help me fill in the power switch website questions. 25 mins on the phone to someone very helpful, and apparently I can save $450 per year if I switch! But... how do I know? And how do I know whether what they offer me will be the same as the calculation on power switch?! Ah it’s thrilling. I hope I remember to do this same exercise in March 2024
Every time I’ve looked at these bundle deals the overall cost is more - the broadband is a bit cheaper but their kWh rates are higher than others that only supply power. They should be marketing on convenience of one bill rather than value
I used to switch. Now I save my brain from the waste of time and energy. One would switch to a cheaper package but within several months it would have mutated into what you had before. As I said there’s too many other things to be busy thinking about
On the point about Portugal removing GST/VAT from fruit and vegetables to “tame inflation”: does that actually make economic sense? It might be politically popular, but cutting taxes is typically inflationary overall.
The bundling of products and services per se is not so much the issue in my view. It's that this bundling is done by suppliers, not consumers. Under reformed market rules where 'multiple trading relationships' (MTR) applied, consumers could have much more choice and control over how they access the bundling of different services. As the podcast points out, the current way that bundling is offered to consumers is all part of the 'confusopoly' that is current electricity retail market design.
So the last time I had a switch attempt must have been a while ago, then, as this is what happened. I wasn't happy at all about the lack of care to existing customers, but I got a good deal out of it so I didn't switch as a protest (which I sometimes do). Perhaps time to look into it again. Or time to consider solar.
I’m getting a solar oven😆. I’m a bit behind the eight ball on tech available using free energy and to home. But this will do me.
It should go without saying that 'permanent half-priced public transport' is just 'priced public transport'... Cabinet no doubt realised that and, for the relatively minimal investment, figured they're better off carrying on stringing along the grift - because the alternative ('no-price public transport') is unthinkable to the Ranger-owning voter base.
And there he goes https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/131587192/wayne-brown-uses-casting-vote-to-pull-auckland-council-out-of-local-government-nz
Worth noting that for the $400k investment they got over $1M value from one LGNZ project. I hope they can find similar ROI now they are on their own
Omg Bernard, this inspired me to call my power company so they could help me fill in the power switch website questions. 25 mins on the phone to someone very helpful, and apparently I can save $450 per year if I switch! But... how do I know? And how do I know whether what they offer me will be the same as the calculation on power switch?! Ah it’s thrilling. I hope I remember to do this same exercise in March 2024
Every time I’ve looked at these bundle deals the overall cost is more - the broadband is a bit cheaper but their kWh rates are higher than others that only supply power. They should be marketing on convenience of one bill rather than value
I've updated now with the EA response.
I used to switch. Now I save my brain from the waste of time and energy. One would switch to a cheaper package but within several months it would have mutated into what you had before. As I said there’s too many other things to be busy thinking about
On the point about Portugal removing GST/VAT from fruit and vegetables to “tame inflation”: does that actually make economic sense? It might be politically popular, but cutting taxes is typically inflationary overall.
The bundling of products and services per se is not so much the issue in my view. It's that this bundling is done by suppliers, not consumers. Under reformed market rules where 'multiple trading relationships' (MTR) applied, consumers could have much more choice and control over how they access the bundling of different services. As the podcast points out, the current way that bundling is offered to consumers is all part of the 'confusopoly' that is current electricity retail market design.
More about MTR here for those who want to go deeper: https://www.araake.co.nz/projects/mtr/
So the last time I had a switch attempt must have been a while ago, then, as this is what happened. I wasn't happy at all about the lack of care to existing customers, but I got a good deal out of it so I didn't switch as a protest (which I sometimes do). Perhaps time to look into it again. Or time to consider solar.