What is this seemed obsession to stand at the defence of bloated faceless state monopolies? I didn't realise they were in so much dire need to have the little people stand at ready, to protect them against possible misplaced angst.

The Govt back in the day carved their power supply business up into a dozen or so (probably in order to privatise them all) supplier corporations, of which 80% of these power suppliers are still owned by the NZ Government ----- the ultimate owner, at the top of the corporate ladder and therefore the one ultimately responsible for this death and probably others as well.