Group pushes for ‘yes’ in TECT vote

TECTyes has been running ads encouraging people to vote ‘yes’ on the TECT proposal to wind up the consumer side of the trust.

A local group advocating for people to support the TECT proposal says it would be like the city ‘winning Lotto' every month.

TECTyes has taken out several full-page ads in local newspapers encouraging consumers to make a submission in favour of the proposal by TECT trustees to turn the trust into a solely-charitable venture.

TECTyes spokesperson Michelle Whitmore, who has served on a number of charitable boards, says the group is made up of ‘community-minded' people who wanted to respond to the chorus of ‘noes' directed at the proposal.

'We decided we needed to have a voice and present both sides as respectively as we can. We know there are different views, and we want to enable a respectful conversation about it. If someone doesn't have the same view as you, that's okay.”

That being said, she says they obviously want the ‘yes' vote to win.

'We think it's a good deal for consumers today, and a great way to protect the assets for the good of the community for the future.

'Obviously the TECT trustees have done a lot of research – I can't imagine any of them doing this lightly. They have to be accountable for the proposal. They're an intelligent group of people, and we voted them in, so obviously there's a lot of people who believe in them.”

She says anyone on a charity board knows how hard it is to get funding, and sees this as a great opportunity to grow Tauranga.

'If we can put away that amount of cash for our future, it's essentially $2 million a month – it's like winning Lotto every month as a city. It's mind-blowing the opportunity when you break it down like that.”

The ads, which have been produced in-house by Michelle's company Metro Marketing, have raised some questions in the community in regards to who is paying for the campaign. But Michelle dismisses claims they might be backed by Trustpower's competitors.

'We're not funded by TECT or anyone else. It's just a group of us pooling our collective resources.”

Another advocacy group has also been active on Facebook opposing the TECT proposal. The ‘Protect The Cheque' page has more than 3800 likes and regularly posts updates encouraging people to vote ‘no'.

SunLive contacted the page to find out more, and was told it was started by ‘a few' people who ‘thought the TECT proposal seemed like a bribe with so little information it just didn't make any sense'.

Former Tauranga city councillor Murray Guy, who was an early supporter of the ‘Protect The Cheque' movement, says he's been surprised to find out who is opposed to the proposal, and thinks many of them would prefer to remain out of the spotlight because of personal or professional relationships with TECT trustees.

'Some of the people who have expressed abhorrence at the TECT proposal are those I would associate with the ‘movers and shakers' of the city. So I surmise they would prefer to remain anonymous, because it's a small town.”

He also says TECT Bill Holland came to see him the day the news of the proposal broke.

'The trustees may have identified people a little more outspoken than others to bring them up to speed. I guess they might have hoped I would share their view of life, which I certainly reject.”

Submissions on the TECT proposal closed on Thursday at 4pm.

Consumers who have requested to speak to their submissions will be heard from next week. The dates for the hearings are:

Wednesday, March 7, 3-8pm

Thursday, March 8, 9.30am-1.30pm

Friday, March 9, 9am-5pm

Monday, March 12, 10am-4pm

More sessions may be required depending on final numbers of those wishing to speak. These times will also be advertised if required.

All hearings will be held at the Village Theatre, Historic Village, 17th Ave, Tauranga. Any consumer can attend the hearing, but only those who have requested an opportunity to speak will be allocated times.

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15 comments

Huhh...

Posted on 03-03-2018 08:44 | By Marshal

I might be a bit slow, but this looks a lot like it will end up as a forced donation of around $500.00 a year for every Trust power customer.. A lot of whom can't afford such generosity.. The low and middle income earners can't fund everything .. LOL


Follow the money

Posted on 03-03-2018 09:01 | By backofthequeue

This article highlights one of the greatest reasons why the TECT proposal and the manner in which it is being promoted is so wrong. TECT Trustees have created a situation where one class of beneficiary who foresee a financial windfall akin to "winning Lotto" are being pitted against another class of beneficiary who, if this proposal proceeds, will be completely removed from a Trust originally created for their benefit. This cannot be seen as fair and reasonable and is why the proposal must be withdrawn.


money

Posted on 03-03-2018 10:40 | By dumbkof2

if this goes ahead i will take the money and run. get cheaper power elsewhere


You can guarantee

Posted on 03-03-2018 10:48 | By The Sage

That those proposing this change will be in for a windfall. Follow the money is right. I like to choose where my donations go not have someone else telling me where they are going. If this is successful, and I sincerely hope it's not, we will be lining the pockets of Directors on yet another "Charitable" organisation. This so goes against everything was meant to be and I go back to what Michael Cooney and Co had to say. The big Trust boys have got together and hatched this. I won't name any of the Trusts because they won't print this if I do.


Agree with backofthequeue.

Posted on 03-03-2018 11:27 | By NZAdventurer

How a handful of wealthy elite get to rewrite the rules to channel and reassign hundreds of millions of dollars put in Trust, as Lotto winnings is nothing short of theft. In my book, the entire process is corrupt, and had I known about this, I would never have voted for any trustee who was clear and forthright it what they had planned to do!


Who’s the real winner?

Posted on 03-03-2018 12:30 | By waiknot

As far as I can tell the only winner (unintended) out of the current system is Trustpower with its overinflated retail prices. Get the cash today move to a cheaper power supplier unless Trustpower drops its prices and get about the same savings in power as you would get from the TECT CHQ. TGA community benefits from dividends. TECT was not set up for Trustpowers benefit, but I believe they have high jacked it.


Taniwha82

Posted on 03-03-2018 13:05 | By Taniwha0

The city won't need tect money ,22 buses a day are going to roll up at the museum ,where do these dreamers come from,????


Those people

Posted on 03-03-2018 13:11 | By Ted the Mechanic

who comment regularly about Councillors grandiose schemes that will hike their rates bill should be thankful there are philanthropic organisations like TECT around to help fund amenities and organisations that are contributing to the improvement and well-being of our community. If it wasn't for TECT, Acorn, BayTrust, Lotteries Funding, etc our Councils would be under huge pressure to put more money towards these things. TECT's current 80:20 split of payouts should be changed to contribute more to community development.


Tect No

Posted on 03-03-2018 15:01 | By Noel Silver

Michelle Whitmore needs to do the math on this proposal. A one off payment of $2500.00 (the carrot) and five more years of Tect cheques, about $1800.00, so a total of $4300.00 then nothing more. This is the return a consumer will get paid for their share, as against $14000.00 approx if the trust is wound up. So in rough figures all consumers are being asked to make a permanent donation to Tect of $9800.00 and then the Trustees can decide who they think should get the spoils. The consumer will have little or no influence on which charities get funding. I wonder about what we are NOT being told.


Submissions closed!

Posted on 03-03-2018 15:30 | By Maryfaith

Submissions closed March 1st - surely they will not make exceptions for those who want now to make a 'Yes' submission.!! ?? Why else would the 'Yes' zealots be spending all that money in encouraging public to make submissions at this late stage??


Very funny

Posted on 03-03-2018 16:35 | By kimmel

Well of course this group are advertising to vote Yes they will be robbing the beneficiaries of Their money.Sounds strange that they have their own Marketing. I wonder what the Trustees would say if the Beneficiaries had a Class Action by the group of Beneficiaries who want the cheque to continue for 55 years as stated in the Trust Deed.


tisi

Posted on 03-03-2018 19:49 | By magictorch

Such fun!! A war of words n whoneeds the money. Outcome so obviousWhat a waste of advertising costs


Give up Tect

Posted on 03-03-2018 20:40 | By Rocket

You are not listening Tect it is quite simple we want to continue receiving our cheques, withdraw your proposal. If we want to give to charity we can do it individually. We pay a lot of money for our power and it's nice to receive a little back just before Christmas. Your tactics in trying to confuse people to get your vote shows you are not to be trusted


A great deal?

Posted on 05-03-2018 11:39 | By Happyday

Yes, it is a great deal for those who have only been Trust Power consumers for a short time - they will get more back than they have put in, and why should they get the same as people who have been with Trust Power for 20 years or more. A great deal, not for all.


Vest interests

Posted on 18-03-2018 14:40 | By MISS ADVENTURE

In the answer obviously, they clearly want the money diverted from Trustpower customers to elswhere. personally there is no justification for the annual cheues going to Trustpower customers, it simply allows the poer copany to rip off its customers and reptend that they are wonderful. The whole thing is lunicy 100%. All Trustpower customers would be far better off not being at trustpower, they in fact pay more in power costs than the cheque is worth. How easily are people fooled.


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