6. GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) Link to this
to the Minister of Energy
What specific changes, if any, does he expect to see following his release yesterday of a draft New Zealand Energy Strategy outlining a draft action plan across six broad areas?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
I expect renewables and energy efficiency to advance. I expect some non-renewable initiatives to be rethought. I expect also the National Party to tie itself in knots, as it usually does, when Labour leads any debate on a sustainable future.
How does it give any certainty or direction to the energy industry when the best his draft strategy—with its draft action plan—can say is that when it comes to encouraging low emissions, a wide range of policy options are available: we could have an emissions trading regime; we could have a narrow-based carbon tax; we could have a mix of incentives, subsidies, and regulations; and we could have luck; and how is that supposed to be a strategy that guides anyone?
The idea of a strategic discussion paper is to put options before the public and invite them to make their response.
Shane JonesHas he seen any reports on the extent to which climate change, which some say is driven substantially by the use of fossil fuels in the energy sector, is accepted as an issue of consequence?
Yes, I have seen two reports. The first states: “This is a complete and utter hoax, if I may say so. The impact of the Kyoto Protocol, even if one believes in global warming—and I am somewhat suspicious of it—”. The second states: “I firmly believe in climate change, and I always have.” Both of these statements came from the National Party leader, Mr John Key.
Back to the Government’s policy; does the Minister stand by his comments made earlier this year on Climate Rescue Radio: “You ask me by what date New Zealand would be carbon neutral. I think you’ll find that becomes clear over the next 6 months.”; if so, was this draft strategy not an opportune time to enlighten us all, and why does it not?
The idea of the Energy Strategy is to move this country towards a position of carbon neutrality. We have no difficulty in aspiring to a commitment and no difficulty committing to an aspiration.
Can the Minister confirm that page 26 of the strategy states: “using renewable electricity in place of new fossil-fuel-based generation need not make prices higher, provided economic renewable projects can gain consent and are built.”; and does he see the irony in that statement, given his Government’s track record of failed consents for renewable energy projects?
Why did his press release on the draft Energy Strategy raise the question as to whether carbon neutrality is feasible, then not answer but say that the best we can do is take one of “several pathways available to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the long term,”; and how far out does he think the “long term” is for carbon neutrality?
Aspirations are not built in a day, but the member should reflect on the fact that a variety of offset options are available to this Government.
Peter BrownDoes the Minister accept the assertion that is being made by some energy specialists that any penalty tax on thermal generation will result in significant power increases across the board, and, if he does accept that, will he advise what he expects to achieve except placing some people on low fixed incomes in hardship positions?
Earlier today in various media a number of commentators thought that “significant” meant a 10 or 20 percent increase in price. The Government’s view is that any increase would be a small fraction of that.
Does the draft Energy Strategy not just amount to a Christmas wish-list that reads: “Dear Santa, it would be nice to have bio-fuels, it would be nice to have electric cars, it would be nice to have wind farms, wave technology, and carbon neutrality rather than the large lump of coal you gave us last year, which we have been busy getting rid of in our numerous coal-fired generation stations.”?
I did say, in answer to the member’s primary question, that I did expect National to tie itself in knots. I had not expected it to take such a short time.
Madam SPEAKERI must say that the way the question was framed did invite the sort of answer that was given. But I will ask the Minister whether he would like to add a suitable reference to the question.
Is his Energy Strategy not just a wish-list, when he talks of bio-fuels, electric cars, wind farms, wave technology, and carbon neutrality, when this Government continues to be the biggest burner of coal ever in New Zealand’s history?