Surprise surprise – people who are told the power company can not cut them off for not paying if they claim to be "vulnerable" are beginning to "abuse the system".

What else did the Electricity Commission think would happen?

When weepy coroners and dopey regulators and calculating politicians infantilise their "clients", by rewarding pretended helplessness along with real helplessness, in any sphere, of course we get lots more helpless.

New Zealand already has comparatively high retail power charges. The cheats imposes their costs on those who do not cheat. Once the Electricity Commission got involved in telling all retailers how they must exercise their right to stop selling to people who wont pay, it was certain that poor people who do pay would help subsi8dise those who choose other priorities for their spending.