Transition Town Candidate to contest AECT election
Thursday 17 September 2009
Community candidate challenges Vector’s sustainability path
A corporate lawyer with experience working for regulated industries will stand as an independent candidate in this year’s election for trustees to the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust.
Pippa Coom, who has worked for Vector Limited, which is majority owned by the Trust, is also the first member of the Transition Town movement to stand for public office.
“I have the skills and experience to be an effective trustee. As the only independent community candidate I am committed to maintaining the Auckland electricity assets of Vector in community ownership and ensuring that Vector is in the best position to respond to the current environmental challenges ” says Ms Coom.
Pippa Coom launched her campaign for election at the monthly meeting of Grey Lynn 2030:Transition Community, which is part of the international Transition Towns movement.
Suzanne Kendrick, Grey Lynn 2030 steering committee member who is supporting Pippa’s campaign says
“We are very pleased to support an independent community candidate for a community trust.
“It is in the interests of the beneficiaries of the trust – all those with a power bill in greater Auckland, – that the trustees be a good representation of us all and bring a diversity of perspectives to the decisions the Trust makes”
“Business as usual’ in today’s world is not an option as we transition to a low carbon economy and toward more benign methods of energy production, distribution and use. Pippa, through her background with the Transition movement will bring this vital, but currently missing, perspective to the Trust as a trustee” Ms Kendrick said
The election for the five trustees is scheduled from 15 October by postal ballot, with polling day on 30 October.
ENDS