In theory, it’s power broking made democratic. But last time, not even 10% returned a ballot.
Across much of New Zealand’s biggest city, billboards have popped up in recent weeks, ahead of a local – a hyper-local, even – election. It might also be called hyper-boring, if recent turnouts are a guide. Welcome to the Entrust election, a contest which usually excites about as much enthusiasm as a Board of Trustees vote at Balclutha Primary.
Last time the election was held, in 2021, the turnout among eligible voters was 9.6%. Those were Covid days, true, but if it’s meant to be democracy it’s a peculiar version of democracy: arguably best described as actually not really democracy at all.
In the interests, then, of punching up and beyond that psychologically important one-in 10-voter line, welcome to the 2024 Entrust election, explained.
What is Entrust?
Entrust is the clumsily named consumer trust – the outfit formerly known as the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust – that owns a 75.1% stake in Auckland power distributor and lines company Vector. A private trust, it was established following sector reforms in the 90s and is tasked with acting in the interests of its “beneficiaries” – around 365,000 households and businesses.
Why does “Entrust” conjure up the word “dividend”?
You’re most likely to encounter the word Entrust in the context of the dividend paid out annually to Vector customers. People searching for Entrust in recent weeks have almost always been searching for the sweet, sweet dividend.
Just how much is that dividend?
The latest – coughed up three weeks ago – was $350 a pop. More on that in a moment.
What area is covered by Entrust?
The Entrust District.
Splendid. And where is the Entrust District?
Anywhere that used to be covered by what was once the Auckland Electric Power Board, spanning central suburbs, east and south Auckland. Here’s a map:
What is this election for, exactly?
Twelve candidates are vying for the five seats at the Entrust table. Those places have almost exclusively been filled over the last couple of decades by members of C&R, the centre-right local political group.
What does C&R stand for?
It used to stand for Citizens & Ratepayers, but in 2012 it changed to Communities & Residents.
Will they conquer & rule once more?
Perhaps. The five C&R candidates include former National MPs Denise Lee and Paul Hutchison, both standing for re-election, and there’s a sort-of sixth, in the form of Michael Buczkowski, a long-serving C&R Entrustee who stood down citing personal reasons in May, but is back running unaffiliated.
Who are the challengers?
A new crew is taking on the status quo, in the form of “More for You, Better for Auckland” – a group name you suspect was agreed upon during a three-hour committee meeting (that said, you wouldn’t be shocked to see M4YB4A on the Laneway lineup). The ticket includes former NZTA board member Patrick Reynolds, Emma McInnes of Women in Urbanism Aotearoa and former Auckland councillor Pippa Coom.
What are the points of difference?
The C&R pitch is one of safe hands, keeping those sweet, sweet dividends flowing while focusing on “the reliability and safety of our power network”. They point to 233 undergrounding projects completed across the Entrust area.
Lee says: “Our focus remains on securing better deals for electricity users, and we have a petition in parliament right now highlighting how 70% of our beneficiaries are over-taxed on their dividends.”
Listed priorities include “keeping dividends in beneficiary hands”, “maintaining lowest possible electricity prices and network reliability”, “increasing funding for undergrounding power lines” and “supporting Vector’s 2030 carbon emissions reduction commitments”.
Read more here
The M4YB4A pitch is to modernise the Vector outlook and approach, with a big rollout of solar and batteries, while retaining the sweet, sweet dividend. They argue the dividend is “cynically timed” and note that in real terms it’s dropped by more than 25% since 2006.
Reynolds says: “The world is a very different place from when [C&R] took control last century: the imperatives of the electricity market, as well as generation technologies, have completely changed, but C&R have kept Entrust standing still.”
Priorities include improving Auckland’s energy security and community resilience, fairer and smarter undergrounding of lines, and actively and sustainably addressing energy hardship.
Read more here.
Who is the 12th candidate?
Andrew Lesa, a Manurewa local board member. He says: “The [sweet, sweet] dividend has remained the same for at least the last 15 years despite record profits from Vector. When adjusted for inflation, Aucklanders are getting a fraction of the dividend they once did from a $3 billion asset and that’s unacceptable. The two tickets are merely shadows of National and Labour. They can not be trusted to put Aucklanders first. Their infighting puts Vector at risk of stagnating.”
Who can vote in the Entrust election?
The same beneficiaries, the dividend-getters, basically – around 465,000 households and businesses across the Entrust district. Like local government elections, it’s postal voting – the first papers are getting delivered as of today. You can mail them back for free, or drop them into one of the padlocked persimmon-orange wheelie bins that will appear in various branches of Woolworths across the area.
If I have more than one Vector connection can I vote more than once?
No. One vote.
If there are a bunch of people living at one address, can we all cast a vote?
No. One vote.
If there are two names on the bill who gets the vote?
The first one named on the bill.
Do the trustees get paid?
Yes. It’s not bad for part-time work, with each trustee getting around $60,000 a year and the chair $90,000. Two Entrustees are also made Vector directors and accordingly pocket an extra sweet, sweet $100,000 a year.
Is it too late to stand?
Yes. Nominations closed on August 28.
When does voting close?
At 5pm on Friday October 25. Post at least a couple of days before.
Is Entrust going to last for ever?
No. It is slated to be collapsed in 2073 – 80 years after its creation – at which point it will be rolled up and tucked into Auckland Council. There are plenty of people who reckon they should get on and do that now. Another piss-poor voter turnout will only strengthen that argument.