ELECTRICITY REFORMS WILL BE REMEMBERED

The Coalition Government's electricity reforms will be remembered by generations of New Zealanders because of the better deal they'll bring for consumers," Energy Minister Max Bradford said today.

Mr Bradford rejected claims by Public Power Campaign analyst Molly Melhuish that the reforms would fail.

"The reforms are not about privatisation," Mr Bradford said. "The Government is committed to keeping its ownership of strategic assets such as ECNZ and any SOEs that were once part of it. The Coalition Agreement makes this plain.

"Lower prices and a real choice of who supplies your electricity - that's what the Coalition Government's electricity reforms are all about," Mr Bradford said. "This cannot occur without the reforms, whatever others might say."