Who to believe?
Who to believe, a salesman a my front door or Consumer New Zealand?
A person at my door (5pm Sunday) wanted to persuade me to change both my internet and electricity suppliers to a combined package with Mercury. At his request, I supplied him with a typical monthly electricity bill. Without a moment’s pause for thought or consideration of what I had provided, he launched into a well practised flood of words describing how much better I could do with Mercury than with my current supplier, Power Shop. I agreed that he could email me a document describing what Mercury could provide under a 1-year contract and asked me to promise to reply to the email. I agreed though I made it clear that I was not likely to be convinced to change.
After he left I immediately visited Consumer New Zealand’s web site, knowing what I would find and replied to his email with an inner smile, wondering what, if any, impact it might have on him and his salesmanship:
"You visited me at 43 Burn St, Levin, about 5pm this evening. When you left I visited Consumer NZ to check their latest survey on consumer satisfaction with power companies. Basically, I don't trust large companies of any kind, and the larger, the less confidence I would have in their behaviour and service. Furthermore, so far as I am concerned, the goals of salesmanship are focussed on persuasion, not on reality."
"I quote from the survey results:
Note that Mercury came 10th and Contact was bottom in consumer approval.
"The best power companies
"Powershop and Frank Energy tied in first place this year, both scoring 67% for customer satisfaction.
“Powershop and Frank Energy have achieved our People’s Choice award. It's the seventh time in 10 years that Powershop has taken out the accolade – a commendable achievement.”
Frank Energy’s customers rate it highly for having competitive pricing, while Powershop customers rate it for its value for money."
"Disappointingly, the two power providers at the bottom of the pack had the largest market share. Mercury took tenth place, and Contact came in last at eleventh."
“Bundling power, phone and broadband plans is appealing as it offers the ‘one-stop-shop' convenience of paying only one bill. However, bundled plans can cost households more financially. Our survey results highlight that bundling could cost you in the satisfaction stakes, too.”
Thank you, Consumer NZ!!!
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
Horowhenua Kapiti Calendar, 2026
My 2026 Horowhenua/Kapiti Calendar will be available tomorrow (Saturday) from 9am to 1pm at the Monthly Market in the Uniting Church hall, 87 Oxford Street, Levin.
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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