Wise Water Use HB held its second public forum last week, this time in Waipawa, on the proposed resurrection of Ruataniwha Dam 2 (RD2).
Apart from sharing of information and views, the news of the evening was disclosure that CHB power lines company Centralines has committed $100,000 to the Tukituki Water Security Project (TWSP) to support the case building for RD2.
This award had not been publicly disclosed by either Centralines or the CHB Consumer Power Trust. Says Wise Water Use Chair Trevor Le Lievre: “Unfortunately, this squandering of CHB power consumers’ money is in keeping with the legacy of the Ruataniwha dam, which is to commandeer large sums of public money often well away from the glare of public scrutiny. It’s abundantly clear that transparency and the Ruataniwha dam are incompatible bedfellows.”
To put that amount in perspective, Centralines latest Annual Report (2024) indicates total grants to the community in that financial year of $184,324 spread across about 65 organisations. In the same year, the public ‘owner’ of Centralines, the Central Hawke’s Bay Consumer Power Trust gave discounts of $1.48 million to its approximately 8,000 eligible power consumers, ranging from $55 to $5,850.
In the meantime, The Centralines Board has declared publicly that there will not be an annual discount offered to CHB power consumers for the 2025-2026 period, and has not given any undertaking as to when discounts might be resumed. “This $100,000 largesse by the Board comes at the expense of annual discounts to CHB Power consumers,” says Le Lievre.
This new $100,000 grant to TWSP goes to a small business group, led by Mike Petersen and Sam Robinson, determined to refloat RD2. TWSP has been awarded up to $3 million by the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund for its ‘feasibility’ investigation, on the condition that any dollars awarded must be matched. For its part, Centralines has made its grant contingent on TWSP in fact raising the additional $2.9 million in required matching money.
TWSP has previously said it was seeking no public funding for RD2. Apparently, they do not regard Centralines revenue that ultimately belongs to the Consumer Power Trust as ‘public’ money. The Power Trust has acquiesced in the grant, causing one Trustee, Tony Murphy, to resign.
Murphy told Wise Water Use HB that he does not believe this decision is in the best interests of CHB power consumers and beneficiaries, and that he can’t in good conscience remain as part of a trust which has chosen to support the Board in its decision.
Wise Water Use HB is calling on Consumers’ Power Trust chair, Karen Middelberg, to move a motion at the next trustee meeting, to be held in late-May, to direct the Centralines Board to rescind their decision.
Well done Trevor Le Lievre & Tony Murphy for standing up to the Centralines deceitful dealings with public funds. Many locals consumers are dependent on those annual discounts. Thank you Tom Belford for your disclosure of this disgusting betrayal of trust in the decision made by the Consumers Power Trust members.
Tautoko Ian
Every time the Dam is mentioned there seems to be some form of underhanded action being taken usually for the benefit of a small group of people – it’s time their actions, funding and aims were opened for full scrutiny by the public and neutral auditors. Public money should be nowhere near this proposal – it’s a private group looking to do it and they should be funding everything. This appears to be a rort at best or corruption at worst with some complicity by local government
Fully agree with your comments 100% Grant.
It’s corruption plain and simple , the Ombudsman should be contacted regarding CHB councils unethical dealings and scheming.
Very pertinent comment Grant.
100% behind your comments also Grant. Big ups to Tony for standing tall and Trevor for leading the way .
Thank you for disclosing this information so the public are informed of what is going on. Take my hat off to Tony for standing for what you believe in and also Trevor for all that you are doing to keep us informed. You guys are all amazing
The Ombudsman should take a good hard look at all the dealings in Hawke’s Bay. So many underhanded things going on but especially bad when it is with public money and at the expense of those who’s money is taken. Napier – look at HBAL, Te Aka (Landscape Architecture: Boffa Miskell is the landscape architecture lead, responsible for site planning and integration with the wider context – interesting the Chair of the PDP board’s collaboration involved in this, not very independent), Waka berth, Art Deco new move – sure Barbara Arnott had a hand in that at ratepayers expense), Mana Ahuriri, Hastings and HBRC – iwi collaborations, moves to change Eskdale Park and Cyclone Gabrielle failings.
Worth looking at other trusts such as Hawke’s Bay Power Consumers Trust. Was recently in the media about how much they are profiting off us, but people aren’t aware of their true colours. Board members are questionable and hold or held relationships with other questionable entities in Hawke’s Bay. The truth always comes out eventually, right Wendy and Barbara?
What’s new? Power corrupts – it slowly puts sand in people’s moral compass, especially where it concerns other people’s money. Shame on the Centralines boardmembers (with one or tow exceptions).
Sorry I would love to add a comment but as usual it seems anyone wanting
to agree to the advancement of the region is getting swiped.Sorry guys but I feel we will be talking about this in 20 years
Hi Garry, you are more than welcome to comment. I think that’s the issue here though, if you don’t agree with the powers that be and make your voice heard, it doesn’t matter as it’s all predetermined. So, it’s not actually democracy then, is it?