Energy hardship expert panel and reference group

The establishment of energy hardship expert panel and reference group is based on the Electricity Price Review recommendation to establish a cross-sector energy hardship group.

Energy Hardship Expert Panel

The Energy Hardship Expert Panel brings together 5 leaders from a range of backgrounds who collectively hold key insights, connections and experience working directly with households living in or at risk of energy hardship.

Purpose

The objective of the Panel is to recommend to government policy priorities and actions to alleviate energy hardship, and provide impartial, evidence-based expert advice.

The Panel’s work programme was, in part, drawn from the Electricity Price Review’s findings and the government’s response to its recommendations.

Electricity Price Review

Members of the Energy Hardship Expert Panel were appointed in September 2021 with their term ending 30 June 2023, unless their work is completed sooner.

Members

Chair

Keri Brown (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Mahana) is a dedicated community leader and public servant, currently serving as a councillor at Hutt City Council. She is a strong advocate for social housing and has taken a leading role in developing strategies to address homelessness in her community. In her current role, she is also responsible for improving child outcomes, ensuring that all children in her area have the opportunity to thrive.

As a Director of Urban Plus Ltd, a council-controlled development company, Keri works closely with Community Housing Providers and mana whenua to build high-quality social housing that meets the needs of her community. With her extensive background in public service, including her previous role as a senior national adviser for the Family Start programme, Keri brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her work.

Keri is deeply committed to improving the health and wellbeing of whānau and communities. As a former Hutt Valley DHB board member, she has first-hand experience of the challenges faced by many. Through her work at Hutt City Council and beyond, Keri is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of those she serves.

Other panel members

Dr Amanda-Lanuola Dunlop

Dr Amanda-Lanuola Dunlop (Samoan, Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui) is a Pacific health and wellbeing expert.  She has more than 25 years’ experience working in health policy development, relationship management, research and evaluation, and a not-for-profit organisation. Most recently she was chief executive at Vaka Tautua, a national Pacific health, disability and social services provider. Amanda-Lanuola holds a PhD in Community Health.

Helen Leahy

Helen Leahy is Pou Ārahi for Ngā Waihua o Paerangi which is the operational hub leading environmental, social, Whānau Ora, cultural and other kaupapa across the rohe of Ngāti Rangi. As the former chief executive of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island, she has extensive experience working with Māori communities and whānau and has a long history of involvement in areas of supporting children, health, hardship, education, vulnerable communities and wellbeing. Helen was a senior ministerial and policy advisor in Parliament from 1999 to 2015.  Helen lives in Raetihi, a small rural locality that lies in a valley between Tongariro and Whanganui National Parks.

Kay Brereton

Kay Brereton is the manager for the Beneficiaries and Unwaged Workers Trust and co-convenor of the National Beneficiary Advocacy Consultative Group. Kay has been a beneficiary advocate for more than 16 years and has extensive experience on focus groups in areas such as welfare, housing and service alignment. She received a Queen’s Service Medal last year for services to welfare of beneficiaries.

Kevin Angland

Kevin Angland has several years’ governance experience as a director of the Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand, where he oversaw strategic work with an emphasis on supporting vulnerable communities. He also has executive experience with electricity generator-retailer Mercury, which included working on programmes to reduce energy hardship. His leadership in the technology and digital sector was recognised in 2014 when he was named New Zealand CIO of the year.

Work programme

The roadmap below shows the various stages of the Panel’s work programme.

The Panel is taking an inclusive and collaborative approach throughout its work, with engagement feeding into every stage of its mahi.

Since it was established, the Panel has engaged with a wide range of communities and key stakeholder groups to hear their experiences of energy and energy hardship, and supporting energy wellbeing.

These groups include individuals and whānau living in energy hardship, experts and representatives from across the energy sector, beneficiary advocacy groups, Māori and Pasifika community-level providers, health and social services and energy-related sectors.

The Panel has also commissioned research and held collaborative workshops to develop its understanding of the root causes of energy hardship, and consider options on how these can be best be addressed.

The Outcomes framework and focus areas document describes the key areas of the Panel’s work.

The Panel has also grouped the underlying causes of energy hardship into 5 kete:

• Health of the home
• Knowledge and navigation
• Energy accessibility and choice
• Energy affordability
• Consumer protection

Discussion Paper

In late March 2023, the Panel published a Discussion Paper, ‘Te Kore, Te Pō, Te Ao Marama | Energy Hardship: the challenges and the way forward’, to seek feedback on its proposed strategies to better support households experiencing energy hardship.

The Panel has also prepared a summary version of its discussion paper, outlining the key ideas the Panel is seeking feedback on during this engagement period.

The Energy Hardship Expert Panel is an independent body, established by MBIE following recommendations to government by the independent Electricity Price Review. The proposals in its discussion paper are the Panel’s own work and do not reflect government policy.

The Discussion Paper submission period closed on 28 April 2023, and the Panel is now considering all feedback to develop its final strategies. It will present its final report to Government by 30 June 2023.

Resources

Research reports jointly commissioned by the Panel and MBIE to support their respective work on reducing energy hardship:

Energy hardship research reports

Letters from the Chair:

The following documents have been produced by the Energy Hardship Expert Panel:

Energy Hardship Reference Group

Purpose

Government has also established an Energy Hardship Reference Group to help shift the dial on energy hardship.

The group provides a forum to share information and encourage coordination across industry, NGOs, and government agencies. Members of the group are able to share insights and updates on their work, and test their ideas.

The Reference Group will interact with and complement the work of the Energy Hardship Expert Panel and other groups such as the Consumer Advocacy Council, and ERANZ’s Consumer Care Working Group.

Members

20 members from academia, community groups, industry and iwi have been selected for the group, along with 6 representatives from government agencies and a regulator. Members were selected from a range of backgrounds and positions to ensure a diverse range of skills, connections and perspectives.

Members were initially appointed for a 12-month term. This has been extended to 30 June 2023 to align with the Expert Panel’s reporting date.

Non-governmental organisations and independent researchers

• Cherie Tirikatene, Chief Executive Officer, Seed NZ, and founder of Whānau Power (Ngāi Tahu)
• Chris Mardon, Managing Director, Ecobulb Limited
• Christina Taruke Karatea of Te Reureu (Ngāti Rangatahi, Ngāti Matakore, Ngāti Waewae, Ngāti Pikiahu)
• Christine Arihia Brears (ONZM), Chief Executive, Taumarunui Community Kokiri Trust (Maniapoto)
• Gareth Cartwright, Executive Officer, Community Energy Network
• Hinerangi Pere, Energy Navigator, Waikato Tainui
• Jake Lilley, Senior Policy Advisor, FinCap (Te Atiawa)
• Dr Kim O’Sullivan, Senior Research Fellow, He Kāinga Oranga – Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago
• Kristina Sofele, National Manager People & Capability, Vaka Tautua
• Leana Hunt, Operations Manager, Habitat for Humanity Northern Region
• Liz Kilduff, Power Assessment Coordinator, Anglican Care
• Sandra Greenslade, Energy Consumer Advocate (Trustee, King Country Trust and Maru Trust; Advisory Board member, Utilities Disputes Ltd; Consumer Panel, Electricity Networks Association and The Lines Company)
• Dr Sea Rotmann, Task Leader of the Hard-to-Reach Energy Users research collaboration under the Users Technology Collaboration Programme by the International Energy Agency
• Sumaria Beaton, General Manager, Awarua Synergy

Electricity industry

• Bryn Little, Investment and Strategy Manager, WEL Networks
• Ezra Hirawani, Co-founder and Director, Nau Mai Rā (Te Āti Haunui-a-Paparangi/Ngāti Rangi/Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Hako/Waikato Tainui)
• Leapagatele Matuamaivanu Pei Helen Tua, Community Relationship Manager, Mercury NZ Ltd
• Miranda Struthers, Accessible Energy Advocate, Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand
• Rachel Wansbone, Customer Experience Manager, Northpower.

Government agencies and regulators

• Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
• Electricity Authority
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority
• Kāinga Ora
• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

More information

The energy hardship webpage has information on MBIE’s other related work programmes and details on how to subscribe to the Energy Hardship Update e-newsletter.

The Electricity Price Review webpage has information about MBIE’s key workstreams based on the Review’s recommendations.

Energy hardship webpage

Electricity Price Review webpage