The Dunedin City Council-owned company Aurora Energy will no longer respond to official information requests, saying it is now exempt from them after splitting from its sister company, Delta.
The issue emerged at yesterday’s full council meeting, when Dunedin City Holdings Ltd chairman Graham Crombie appeared to say Aurora was exempt from information requests but would continue to comply with them.
Under the Local Government Act, electricity businesses were not considered council-controlled organisations (CCOs), and therefore not covered by requests made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
However, Aurora had complied with information requests in the past, because it was so closely associated with another council-owned company, Delta, including sharing the same board and chief executive.
That changed when the two companies separated in July last year, following a Deloitte review of safety concerns including Aurora’s pole replacement programme.
Mr Crombie was asked about the change at yesterday’s full council meeting, including whether information would still be available from Aurora.
While official information requests no longer applied to Aurora, the intention was to continue with those processes, Mr Crombie said.
Asked specifically by Cr Aaron Hawkins whether that meant they would continue to comply with information requests, Mr Crombie appeared to indicate they would.
"That’s the conversation we have had with the board, yes," he told councillors.
Contacted after the meeting, Mr Crombie deferred questions to DCHL’s new general manager, Gemma Adams.
Mrs Adams, after checking with Mr Crombie, clarified that his earlier comments related to other requirements for a CCO to provide information to the council, such as a statement of intent.
There was no requirement for Aurora to continue responding to official information requests, she said.
"There’s been no direction to Aurora that they need to comply with LGOIMA," she said.
That worried former Delta worker Richard Healey, who has been highly critical of Aurora’s pole replacement programme.
Official information requests were "incredibly important" to access information about the company’s performance, but Aurora had begun refusing his requests late last year, citing its exemption, he said.
Aurora spokesman Gary Johnson confirmed the company was exempt, but said "in any event, we aim to be transparent and answer inquiries from the public".
Asked specifically if that meant Aurora would continue to respond to requests under the Act, Mr Johnson did not respond.
