Grant McCallum: Northland MP on Transpower compensating the region following last month's power outage

Compensation may be on the way for Northlanders affected by a massive power outage last month.

Local MP Grant McCullum has been asking Transpower to compensate people with discounted transmission fees for a year.

Nearly 100,000 people lost power when a tower toppled after maintenance crews unbolted three legs of a pylon at once.

McCullum says Transpower acknowledged to him it owes the region.

"We've just got to work out what that looks like. It would be fair to say that they made a suggestion, I made one, they were a bit further apart - but they're going to go back and talk to the board.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heller duper Cel.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
So the issue of Transpower paying compo is back in
the news. They were called into a meeting today with
the MP for Northland about their refusal to pay COMPO
to the businesses who were affected by the power outage
last month. When this happened, all.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
The nuts securing the tower to the base plate on
three legs have been removed, which caused the tower to
lift off the base plate and fall.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
North of an. MP. Grant McCallum is with me, now, hey, Grant, yeah.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
The Jugemen I hear that. It still makes you shake
your head in disbelief.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
I know that's why we keep playing it, just so
we can remember, we can remember why they need to
pay compo. Grant, have they changed their minds since you're meeting?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
It's interesting. I have a been really constructive meding with makes.
They acknowledged to me that they do. Oh Northland. We've
just got to now work out what that looks like.
It would be there to say that they suggested and
made a suggestion I made once further word bit far
of the part. But they're going to go back and
talk to the board.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
So did they give you a number?

Speaker 3 (00:57):
They gave you a very low number of how they
approached these things the past. And I said, no, no, no,
this is unique. No, we're not going to wear that.
We're going to I was, look, something significantly higher than that.
What was the number though, I'm not telling you dad here,
I'll get myself in trouble.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
How much smaller than your number? Was their number?

Speaker 3 (01:14):
This is a multiple rather a large multiple, probably of
about ten.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Oh wow, okay, did you give them a bollocking?

Speaker 3 (01:22):
Oh? We had looked, Yes, I look, they acknowledged they
actually they were. They were very respectful. They got it
that they I just see, you guys really have to
come to party for us up in the north, because
we really, you know, people just don't. We're just a
lot of businesses from the chemistry had to throw jugs
out of his fridge, from the little guy with a

(01:42):
pizza oven with the throwers dough out to the big
businesses that lost hundreds of houses of bucks and author
has had enough. They just feel that they are no
fair enough.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Here's the trouble though, right, they've done this before. They've
gone into a meeting and they've made it sound like
they're going to pay compod then they've changed their mind.
So how do you know they're not doing this to you?

Speaker 3 (01:58):
Well, well, i'll give put to be you know, I'll
give them a go, give them a chance and if
they just refuse to play ball, then we'll go public
and go hard again. Right, You've got to give them
opportunity to come back to me with a constructive offer
that northonder, we'll see our value add yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Grant Monster of Transport. On another subject, Minister of Transport
has just announced in the past hour that the government
is going to accelerate work on that new four lane
expressway between Auckland and Fargada. How good is this for Northland?

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Outstanding news, particularly after what happened on the weekends with
the madou On shutting again for a few hours. It's
just what it's to fill up. Our region needs to
know that we get and we're going to fix that problem.
It will take a few years, but we're going to
do it because it has to happen for the benefit
of Northland.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Good stuff, mate, Thank you so much for your time
and good luck with the compo. That's Grant McCallum, Northland MP.
That's what Electric MP should be doing again.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
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Speaker 2 (02:50):
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