MARK Parton’s gushing centenary tribute to ActewAGL (“Century of power to the people”, CN, July 9) demonstrates the influence not only of the organisation’s “insane community sponsorships” but also its lavish duchessing of commentators who might ordinarily be expected to probe its notorious featherbedding and gold-plating.

In contrast, the Australian Energy Regulator has produced benchmarking assessments that pull no punches: business customers here have long been mercilessly slugged, vegetation assessments near power lines have been appallingly managed and even planned outages are not properly co-ordinated.

Consumers have been given no say about whether they obtain worthwhile benefits from the high additional cost of staff padding and systematic overengineering.

It’s high time snoozing shareholders and comfortable commentators removed their rose-coloured glasses and asked tough questions about management and work practices, whose deficiencies are experienced daily by ordinary customers.

Albert Gerber, Griffith