Dr Prudence Stone is proud to represent Presbyterian Support upon the Energy Hardship alliance, which is a highly successful collaboration among many social power suppliers, social service agencies and some faith-based community groups. Our collaboration over some years has proven very effective in advocating for the rights of people experiencing poverty, or specifically energy hardship in their homes.
- We now hold quarterly meetings with the Electrical Authority (EA), supporting them to make consumer care guidelines mandatory among power suppliers.
- Our early advocacy to the Electrical Authority achieved their agreement to hold public consultation on their consumer care guidelines for power suppliers. Our rally for submissions during this consultation was hugely successful and the EA were convinced by these of the importance in transforming voluntary guidelines into mandatory ones.
- The Electrical Authority invited us in both 2023 and 2024 to their annual Wānanga for the Power Sector where we could advocate direct with New Zealand’s power suppliers and retailers.
Through workshop discussions with us across these days many retailers have been inspired and initiated measures to prevent disconnection for customers, offer support where hardship is detected and promotions for ways to alleviate high power costs.
In 2025 our coalition is stepping up its advocacy approach to the Energy Sector. We have written to them an open letter that we invite our communities to sign alongside us. Please take a look at the letter here and consider taking a moment to add your name, sharing with your teams, friends, and colleagues – all who care about keeping everyone connected. There are webpages at the link that explain in more detail the background evidence behind writing this letter. I hope you will help me champion this campaign over the coming months before Winter, when we know energy hardship becomes deadly for whānau in poverty.
