"Smash 'em and cut 'em up": What Electrify Queenstown told us about the politics of energy

By Vic Crockford

21 May 2026

Heft took a leading role at Electrify Queenstown this week - and for those tracking the politics of New Zealand's electricity system, it was a conference worth paying close attention to. 

In an unusually rare moment for any sector forum, all six parliamentary parties shared a single stage: National, Labour, the Greens, ACT, NZ First, and TOP. Senior figures made the trip. The level of engagement was notable. In the words of Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey, this could be "an electric election." 

The headline: more consensus than the debate suggests 

Every party on stage used the same three words: abundant, affordable, homegrown. The alignment on goals is wider than the political noise implies. Where parties diverge sharply is on how to get there - particularly on structural intervention in the electricity market. 

Despite consistent calls from multiple corners, there is little appetite among Coalition partners for a national energy strategy. Energy Minister Simeon Brown was firm on that point. 

The most memorable line of the day? Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones, promising to "smash the gentailers" and "cut them up." The Greens have a bill in the ballot to do exactly that. Chlöe Swarbrick flagged the prospect of Greens–NZ First cooperation on structural separation - a combination worth watching closely as the next election approaches. 

Five things that matter for the sector 

1. The demand-side has entered the political conversation. For the first time at a major sector event, demand response, virtual power plants, and smart homes weren't confined to the technology track - they featured in political speeches. Swarbrick's line that "the cheapest electricity is what we don't use" signals that demand-side logic has arrived in the mainstream. For businesses operating in demand management, load control, and smart metering, this is a meaningful shift. 

2. The Ratepayer Assistance Scheme has a credible path to multi-party support. The RAS attracted more cross-party commentary than any other specific policy on the day. NZ First is interested. TOP and the Greens are fully supportive. National has work underway. Labour is open with inflation caveats. Only ACT opposes it on principle. Clients in home energy, solar, and smart technology should be tracking this and considering whether to engage in the policy development process before a scheme is designed without sector input. 

3. EECA has bipartisan political protection - for now. Shane Jones praised EECA's efforts and flagged expanded Warmer Kiwi Homes support. Chris Hipkins committed to maintaining electrification institutions. That bipartisan cover matters for any business with revenue tied to EECA programmes. The window to embed within those programmes before an election cycle is open. 

4. Structural separation is a live policy risk. Both NZ First and the Greens are actively pursuing gentailer breakup. If either party features in post-election confidence-and-supply arrangements, structural reform of the market becomes a real possibility within the next parliamentary term. This isn't a fringe position anymore. 

5. Certainty is the political currency. Every party, regardless of structural stance, used "certainty" as a core value. The political environment will reward businesses that can demonstrate their technology or model reduces risk and delivers predictable outcomes. Regulatory asks framed as removing barriers - not adding complexity - will land best. 

The bottom line 

New Zealand's energy politics are more active, more contested, and more consequential than they have been in years. The parties agree on the destination. They disagree on the route. For businesses operating in the sector, that gap between consensus on ends and disagreement on means is where the policy risk and opportunity both live. 

Navigating that landscape requires more than monitoring. It requires active engagement - with the right evidence, framed for the right audience, at the right time. 

That's what Heft does.