A new Labour electricity policy
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- Date published:
10:19 am, September 9th, 2024 - 70 comments
Categories: climate change, Deep stuff, Environment, labour, science -
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lprent: Note for confused journalists and others. This is a proposal for a policy from a Standard author for Labour to adopt. It is not a Labour policy. Hint: read our About “We write here in our personal capacities and the opinions that are expressed on the blog are individual unless expressly stated otherwise (see the policy). We do not write on behalf of any organization.”.
Our Energy Strategy
Our Strategy for electricity generation and reticulation and consumers is this:
Empower the people in their lives and systems, secure electricity use and production for New Zealand in perpetuity, and make the electricity system serve New Zealand not the other way round.
How do we do that? There’s three parts to it.
KiwiPower Ltd
Labour will form a new national generation company called KiwiPower and it will put its 51% ownership of shares in Meridian, Mercury, and Genesis into it.
Its goal will be to secure New Zealand’s energy generation and storage in perpetuity. It will co-invest with public funds – and with private funds that share public policy goals – to form new generation investment and expand what it already has. It will decide the right balance of investment to new households – for example in rooftop solar or domestic battery or other new technologies, or large-scale generation projects like offshore wind. The new entity will be based in New Plymouth. Its governance will be separated from politicians just as the NZSuperFund is now.
It will have the ability to buy and manage full ownership stakes in businesses, including those it has a 51% share in already, if that’s the most prudent use of its funds.
Labour will invite all parties in Parliament to commit to the new entity just as they did in the formation of NZSuperFund. This will permanently remove party politics from energy.
This approach will also ensure that major investment and supply agreements with system-wide implications are scrutinised using the same assumptions and criteria.
New Zealand will shortly become as reliant on electricity as it is on water. Left to market forces it has turned into a mess that no-one trusts. Electricity needs to be reasserted as a public good which supports the need of the whole of our society and the whole of our economy.
The private sector has done nowhere near enough to secure existing energy demand nor prepare for full renewable energy. It is apparent from our long term history that if New Zealand is to drive more innovation in electricity generation, it is going to need to be state led. This is how we do it.
Transpower
Transpower will be the network owner and investor. Its goal will be to permanently secure electricity supply to New Zealand and beyond, in perpetuity.
It will be owned by the public. Local governments that own electricity distributors will be invited to transfer their value and assets of their companies into Transpower, and each will share proportionally in the profits. The 75% of Vector in public hands will immediately be returned to Auckland Council, who will in turn be invited to transfer its value into the expanded Transpower. To incentivise greater common national and local investment in electricity distribution, those local governments gaining shares in Transpower will not pay tax on any profit or dividend for a decade.
Its governance will be separated from politicians just as the NZSuperFund is now.
Transpower will provide a priced guarantee for electricity supply to anyone in New Zealand using electricity and provide the end users with choices to get that security.
New Zealand cities, councils, and regions will propose local grid investment priorities such as suburban powerline undergrounding, or greater local grid redundancy with more substations or parallel HVDC lines, similar to the way local authorities do now with transport investment.
We can directly motivate nearby countries to greater energy security and faster transition to low-carbon energy.
Transpower will be directed to form an Australasian grid system with Australia via undersea HVDC transmission line from New Plymouth to Sydney. This will empower Australia and South East Asia to form a common electricity system, which will provide greater energy security for all participating nations in South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. This will enable durable confidence in electricity that accelerates energy transition, and empowers us to sell daily surpluses into a common market.
No generator – public or private – will be able to own an electricity distribution entity. Same works in reverse.
Consumer rights and consumer choice
Every electricity user – large and small – will have their rights supplied set out in minimum standards that must be included in every supply contract – no matter if it’s owned by public or private companies.
The New Zealand Electricity Authority will be charged with ensuring energy consumers of all kinds have access to a reliable and secure electricity and that they pay no more than necessary for energy to their homes and businesses. EECA’s role will be dissolved into this revived entity.
They will do this by setting the maximum amount of revenue that monopoly electricity networks can earn from consumers.
The Electricity Authority will monitor network, wholesale, and retail market performance and compliance with national energy legislation. They will take enforcement action when there is potential or actual harm to consumers.
It will also set a default market offer which is a price cap on standing energy contracts.
It will operate a price comparison website to make sure consumers of all kinds can find the best energy for them. This will publish the best and worst energy prices in national advertising every month, listing each company. It will also publish the most secure and least secure electricity distributors and lines companies, listing each company. It will be a commercial name-and-shame machine for all to see.
All electricity generators and lines companies will be banned from making party political donations or political advertising during local or central election periods. Current and previous politicians can’t go on Transpower’s board.
Summary
Between Kiwipower, Transpower, and a tougher more consumer-focused Electricity Authority, New Zealanders will have trust in the energy system restored.
Yearly party political blame and bickering will stop and political influence will be stopped.
New Zealand and Australia will lead an international electricity market to rival that of Europe or the United States, and our energy transition will accelerate as electricity supply and transmission security increases.
Regulators will be powerful enough to hold the citizen and business needs high, and greedy corporates will be punished.
Under Labour New Zealand will take its power back.
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The National Party is wasting millions of dollars allowing David Seymour’s Treaty Principals Bill to be drafted and go to Select Committee. ...5 days ago
- Release: New Zealanders departing our shores at a record rate
The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers. ...5 days ago
- Te Tai Tokerau MP Slams Govt Overreach in Scrapping Māori Wards
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...6 days ago
- Govt already seeking advice on Treaty referendum
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...6 days ago
- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...6 days ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...7 days ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...1 week ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...1 week ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned after letter from Christian leaders
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...1 week ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...1 week ago
- Vast majority of councils support Māori wards
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...2 weeks ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...2 weeks ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...2 weeks ago
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Cabinet has approved an Order in Council to enable severe weather recovery works to continue in the Hawke’s Bay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “Cyclone Gabrielle and the other severe weather events in early 2023 caused significant loss and damage to ...3 hours ago - FamilyBoost childcare payment registrations open
From today, low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. The scheme was introduced as part of the Government’s tax relief plan to help Kiwis who are doing it tough. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we ...3 hours ago
- Prioritising victims with tougher sentences
The Government has today agreed to introduce sentencing reforms to Parliament this week that will ensure criminals face real consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. "In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences ...20 hours ago
- Targets data confirms rise in violent crime
The first quarterly report on progress against the nine public service targets show promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, ...20 hours ago
- Asia Foundation Board appointments announced
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...23 hours ago
- Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth
New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...1 day ago
- Social Services Providers Whakamanawa National Conference 16 September 2024
Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today. I am honoured to be here in my capacity as Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, and Minister for Children. Thank you for creating a space where we can all listen and learn, ...1 day ago
- Parihaka infrastructure upgrades funded
The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...1 day ago
- Serious assaults down 22% in Auckland CBD
Cross-government action to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Auckland is getting traction, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Our central cities should be great places to live and work, but in recent years they have become hot spots for crime and anti-social behaviour. In Auckland, businesses and residents suffered as ...2 days ago
- Increased certainty for contractors coming
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says upcoming changes to the Employment Relations Act will provide greater certainty for contractors and businesses. “These changes to legislation are necessary to ensure businesses and workers have more clarity from the start of their contracting arrangement. It is an ACT-National coalition ...2 days ago
- Draft critical minerals list released for consultation
A draft list of minerals deemed essential to New Zealand’s economy and strengthening its mineral resilience has been released for consultation, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The draft Critical Minerals List identifies 35 minerals essential to economic functions, are in demand internationally, and face high risk of supply disruption domestically ...2 days ago
- Government eliminates $190 million in trade barriers to boost the economy
The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. “In the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...2 days ago
- Reo Māori the ‘beating heart’ of Aotearoa New Zealand
From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo Māori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka. “I’m joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week, which has a big range ...3 days ago
- Need and value at forefront of public service delivery
New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. “Cabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Government’s expectations ...4 days ago
- Minister to attend Police Ministers Council Meeting
Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. “The council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...4 days ago
- New Bill to crack down on youth vaping
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...5 days ago
- Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...5 days ago
- Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...5 days ago
- Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups
Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...5 days ago
- Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...5 days ago
- Targeted supports to accelerate reading
The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...5 days ago
- Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology
With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...5 days ago
- Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...5 days ago
- Driving structured literacy in schools
The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...6 days ago
- Labour’s misleading information is disappointing
Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them. ...6 days ago
- Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine
The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...6 days ago
- Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...6 days ago
- Government unlocking potential of AI
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...6 days ago
- Government releases Wairoa flood review findings
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...6 days ago
- Promoting faster payment times for government
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...6 days ago
- Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...7 days ago
- Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses
Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...7 days ago
- Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...1 week ago
- Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...1 week ago
- Māori Education Advisory Group established
The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...1 week ago
- Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review
The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...1 week ago
- First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...1 week ago
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Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...1 week ago
- Action to grow the rural health workforce
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...1 week ago
- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...1 week ago
- Health NZ / Te Whatu Ora payment system upgrade in trouble
A project to replace a system that dishes out $12 billion of health payments every year is in trouble. ...1 hour ago - Papuan aspirations at stake in divided Melanesian Spearhead Group politics
COMMENTARY: By Laurens Ikinia in Jakarta The Land of Papua is widely known as a land full of milk and honey. It is a name widely known in Indonesia that refers to the western half of the island of New Guinea. Its natural wealth and beauty are special treasures entrusted ...2 hours ago - Submissions Open For The Gambling (Definition Of Remote Interactive Gambling) Amendment Bill
The Gambling (Definition of Remote Interactive Gambling) Amendment Bill, as introduced, would amend the Gambling Act 2003 to permanently exempt class 3 gambling in the form of a lottery from the prohibition on remote interactive gambling, allowing it to ...2 hours ago - Saved from extinction? New modelling suggests a hopeful future for te reo Māori
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Miller, PhD Candidate, School of Information Management, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Just four years ago, experts warned te reo Māori was on a “pathway towards extinction” unless resources were put into teaching young Māori. But a ...2 hours ago
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Is Bob McCoskrie a righteous moral crusader? Deeply full of shit? Both? You may have missed the ongoing dust-up about a Victoria University study concerning paedophilia. The study explores “stigma and attitudes towards people with a sexual attraction to children”, according to a poster seeking participants, and aims to “understand ...3 hours ago - Trump assassination plotter: Who is Ryan Routh?
Ryan Routh, 58, has a criminal history, an interest in the Ukraine war, and has been described as both a loving father and "delusional". ...3 hours ago
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As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a working parent shares the ins and outs of her finances. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female Age: 32 Ethnicity: NZ European Role: Principal adviser in ...4 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marc Cheong, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems, School of Computing and Information Systems; and (Honorary) Senior Fellow, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Two Pixel/Shutterstock When it comes to our experience of the internet, “the times, they are a-changin’”, as ...4 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zena Assaad, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Australian National University Air Force Tech. Sgt. Teri Eicher Last week, some 2,000 government officials and experts from around the world met for the REAIM (Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain) summit in ...4 hours ago
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At 33, Brooke Roberts leads a $500m investment platform. She believes if you have $5 to invest, you should have the same choices. ...4 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor (Practice), Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University, Monash University Shutterstock Domestic, family and sexual violence is rightly recognised as a national crisis. While the evidence base has built significantly in recent years, one important missing piece ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cathy Humphreys, Professor of Social Work, The University of Melbourne panitanphoto/Shutterstock At least three decades of research on the intersection of substance use with domestic and family violence consistently shows the frequency, severity and impact of violence increases in the context ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Gorta, PhD Candidate in ecology, UNSW Sydney Skuas chase a gannet to force it to regurgitate its meal Bob Brewer/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-ND It’s not easy finding food at sea. Seabirds often stay aloft, scanning the churning waters for elusive prey. Most ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images Aotearoa New Zealand is a land of birds, from the smallest of wrens to the mightiest of moa. The ancestors of some species have been here for tens ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Bricolage/Shutterbox For many Australians, the family home is their largest financial asset. With an increasing variety of ways to tap into home equity, the temptation to access this wealth ...5 hours ago
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Providers like Afterpay don’t have to carry out affordability tests and were recently allowed to set fees at whatever level they like, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign up here. ...6 hours ago
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Te Whatu Ora insists recruitment has continued, but staff say their colleagues aren't being replaced. ...6 hours ago
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon can't put a timeframe on when law and order policies will start to reduce the number of victims. ...6 hours ago
- Victims advocate urges frontline investment after increasing violence statistics
It's a stark reversal of the government's goal: 20,000 fewer victims by 2030. ...6 hours ago
- The social media app you forgot about is on every kid’s phone
With nearly 95% of young New Zealanders using Snapchat, staff writer Lyric Waiwiri-Smith looks back at the rise and fall and rise of the yellow app. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that each new generation to possess a smartphone will believe the technology habits of their elders are too ...8 hours ago
- Windbag: How Wellington’s bike network has grown, in three maps
Few cities have ever attempted to build a connected cycling network this quickly. Windbag is The Spinoff’s Wellington issues column, written by Wellington editor Joel MacManus. It’s made possible thanks to the support of The Spinoff Members. Wellington’s cycleway debate is an interminable bore. We’ve had the same mind-numbing arguments ...8 hours ago
- Bipartisan support for constitutional change to Parliament
Years of work spanning three governments has produced a significant reform for Parliament with support from both National and Labour The post Bipartisan support for constitutional change to Parliament appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago - ‘Cognitive dissonance’ over social services cuts
Social services providers mix frustration over government funding cuts with optimism that they can weather the storm The post ‘Cognitive dissonance’ over social services cuts appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- The neoliberal attack on the Treaty of Waitangi
Opinion: The Government, led by a run-of-the-mill-corporatist, a garden-variety populist and a 10-a-penny libertarian has been considering the future of a singular and unique treaty that is at the heart of what is so special about Aotearoa New Zealand. In the guise of the Treaty Principles Bill, these politicians will ...8 hours ago
- A long, personal and painful read for the minister called Goldie
Analysis: At least 15 times in its urgent report on the proposed law to tighten Māori marine customary rights, the Waitangi Tribunal called out one person The post A long, personal and painful read for the minister called Goldie appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- East Coast forestry industry facing the axe
“Absolutely impossible” consent conditions are causing some East Coast forestry companies to “bleed money” and this could force them to move offshore.Forestry harvesting has already ground to a halt in some areas of Tairāwhiti, part of the fallout after the district was hit by devastating cyclones Hale and Gabrielle last ...8 hours ago
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Opinion: EU plan reflects a deep-seated distrust of market forces and an over-reliance on state-driven solutions The post Brussels still sprouting same old stale economic plans appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
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Critics pan a proposed fix after a Supreme Court decision upended how water consents are considered in Canterbury The post ECan pushes plan change that ‘entrenches water exploitation’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 17 September
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- Red tape earns quarrying spot on Jones’ critical minerals list
Controversy and consenting issues put sand and aggregate on the draft critical minerals list, alongside the likes of cobalt and vanadium The post Red tape earns quarrying spot on Jones’ critical minerals list appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 17 September
The post Daily crossword, Tuesday 17 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Up close and friendly with Vietnam’s war resistance Củ Chi tunnels
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By David Robie in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam’s famous Củ Chi tunnel network was on our bucket list for years. For me, it was for more than half a century, ever since I had been editor of the ...15 hours ago
- Another assassination attempt, baseless claims about pets, and Taylor Swift: the US election is wild...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Mondschein, Director of Research, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney It has not yet been a week since the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – in which the Democrat was widely held to have bested the Republican – and ...15 hours ago
- Papua New Guinea celebrates 49 years of independence from Australia
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent, and Lydia Lewis RNZ Pacific journalist Papua New Guinea is today celebrating almost half a century of independence from Australia. The journey has not been easy, and the path since 16 September 1975 has been filled with challenges and triumphs, Prime Minister James ...16 hours ago
- Australia’s new scam prevention draft is welcome – but it needs to be broader in scope
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University ParinPix/Shutterstock The federal government is stepping up its fight against scams, which last year cost Australians more than A$2.7 billion. On Friday, the federal treasury released a draft scam ...19 hours ago
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Labour leader Chris Hipkins has lost support in a new Taxpayers Union-Curia poll showing small gains for National and Labour, and mostly small losses for minor parties. ...19 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Health at every size (or HAES) is a lifestyle counselling approach that promotes mindful eating and lifestyle behaviours to pursue health and wellness, without focusing on weight loss. Weight loss is ...19 hours ago
- National parks and other protected areas often fail to conserve Earth’s forests, research finds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Neal, Senior lecturer in Economics / Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The destruction of nature is a global crisis. Establishing protected areas of forest is a common policy governments use to tackle the problem. Indeed most ...19 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvette Grant, PhD (Dance) Candidate and Dance History Tutor, The University of Melbourne Benjamin Garrett and Callum Linnane star in Wheeldon’s new ballet production. Christopher Rogers-Wilson Christopher Wheeldon and The Australian Ballet’s Oscar, which had its world premiere in Melbourne on September ...20 hours ago
- PNG police chief Manning declares emergency for Porgera
The National Papua New Guinea’s Police Commissioner David Manning has declared emergency orders to safeguard infrastructure and residents in Porgera due to escalating law and order issues brought about by illegal miners. Manning said police would be increasing the legitimate use of force to remove combatants in order ...20 hours ago
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Great policy. It can't happen soon enough!
It's a Labour policy, it'll be delivered after Kiwi Build and the ALK light rail.
This would be a game changer. It needs more promotion.
It's a Labour policy, it will never happen.
[The rule is that at least 90% of trolls out themselves within the first 10 comments and you’re no exception. Bye – Incognito]
Mod note
I certainly don't trust the current generator companies to put in capacity in advance of foreseeable requirements. They simply don't appear to think further forward than their next dividends to shareholders. They certainly don't seem to look at maintaining affordable supply to citizens or other businesses as being their mission.
FFS: they can't even handle having the capacity to deal with a minor dryish hydro year without making spot prices skyrocketing through the roof. That isn't an efficient preparedness and an efficient usage of capacity resources. That is simply criminal lack of preparation for a highly foreseeable set of events.
Quite how they'd handle an actual widespread drought? Based on their behaviour since Max Bradford screwed up the electricity supply system, it would probably be to profit take as fast as they can while revaluing their capital value of their existing capacity upwards to reflect its new ability to mint money.
Max Bradford certainly enhanced the perversion of economics in favour of shareholders whilst throwing the rest of the country into the role of being victims of their price gouging.
Regardless, I'm going to be moving to a household solar / wind / battery as fast as I can, simply because I don't want my systems to be be subjected to the foolish idiots at the gentailers.
Is outlawing spot pricing a possibility?
Under our current system it would be difficult because there is no duty of care about providing capacity. To try to put a legal spot price limit in would effectively nationalises the shares of the non-government shares because it would limit their property ownership. That opens up a can of legal worms.
Whereas with this proposal, we would simply have the majority shareholder exercising their property rights. Firstly by ensuring that paying capacity improvements were put before any dividends through their members on the gentailers board. Secondly making the management incentives directly related to lowering electricity generation and distribution costs rather than orientated towards upwards revaluations of assets (as it is now from reading the annual reports). Thirdly by voting depreciation to be accounted for on old assets. And lastly by dispersing the generation and grid to make it more resilient with better maintenance.
All of which makes the power generation and distribution to more closely align to our economic needs rather than that of shareholders.
Solar is great. You just have to wash the panels twice a year with water, no cleaning products. Got 16 North facing units a year back, and because of the 9 month install wait–it is the Far North…, the panel price had dropped so much I could afford a second storage battery. So, we charge an electric vehicle and run the house. With a back up circuit for important items like garage doors, lights and the fridge, power cuts do not apply.
The other great thing about solar is no moving parts.
Wind turbines are fickle critters, in my experience, not worth the effort, cost, noise, vibration and maintenance. They look cool but that's about it.
Wind is much more efficient than solar.
"Compared to solar panels, wind turbines release less CO2 to the atmosphere, consume less energy, and produce more energy overall. In fact, one wind turbine may generate the same amount of electricity as seven football fields of solar panels."
https://www.google.com/search?q=is+wind+better+than+solar&rlz=1C5CHFA_enNZ880NZ880&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAECMYJxjqAjIJCAAQIxgnGOoCMgkIARAjGCcY6gIyCQgCECMYJxjqAjIJCAMQIxgnGOoCMgkIBBAjGCcY6gIyCQgFECMYJxjqAjIJCAYQIxgnGOoCMgkIBxAjGCcY6gLSAQkxMDc3ajBqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
You are lacking context.
The korero was about domestic installs and from yr link;
"For suburban or urban regions, solar panels are a more practical option. Solar panels can be installed on the rooftops of buildings, schools, and businesses. They can be bought or leased at an affordable rate. Plus, solar panels are being developed that function as facades, roofs, and windows—even patio umbrellas!"
That is without going into bifacial panels that can be installed vertically and run north south and charge on both sides,
Apologies – didn't realise we were discussing domestic renewable solutions.
All good.
Even commercially, turbines have their drawbacks.
Here in the 'Tu, the gearboxes on the Te Apiti farm, are being changed annually.
There needs a bit of financial jiggery pokery to make them 'viable'.
It's what happens when you put them on one of the windiest inhabited sites in the world.
I don't think the right will commit to it. The private sector profits aren't huge but on a risk vs return basis they are good investments and the RW wont want to alienate their support base.
Is there a link for this Labour policy?
It's not policy it's a set of ideas for discussion
Can't see nuclear in there?!!
Nuclear is expensive and absolutely not needed.
The much cheaper option is to invest in solar, both rooftop and large-scale grid, with grid storage batteries, as they are doing massively in California, Texas, Australia and so on.
This will enable less use of the water in the lakes such that additional hydro will always be available if there are occasional shortages from solar and wind…..effectively part of the existing hydro network will become Lake Onslow.
The above scenario is consistent with ad’s suggestions in the post.
For more on Australian solar and energy go to;
https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/solar-insiders-a-reneweconomy-podcast/id1269397979
There government is heavily involved in leading their energy transition.
Nuclear is a stupid option for NZ.
We have no place in NZ that is safe to store high or medium level radioactive waste geologically.
We don't even have a place that would be geologically safe to have a large reactor or even a smallish one. The nearest we'd have to a usable site would probably be next to the Waikato river which has the river and the transmission lines to Auckland. Or possibly the Wairoa river north of Dargaville if the plant can handle brackish water and we add a lot of new transmission lines.
They are out of the main geologically active zones, reasonably near a usage site (Auckland) and have water for the turbines. Of course they are also going to have a lot of local opposition as well.
But we have no local sources of radioactives to mine. The known sparse deposits would be incredibly expensive to mine. It'd leave our baseload energy wholly dependent on an externally sourced and processed fuel.
Besides nuclear power is too damn expensive and takes too long to put into place. Especially when you compare it solar, wind, or even geothermal.
Just to nip the usual stupid hope in the bud, for all of the talk of over two decades of Small Modular Reactors, we still haven't seen only seen two actually built. There have been a long list of failed proposals simply because the power generated decades in the future would be really expensive compared to renewable technologies available right now. Once someone builds a reproducible tested reactor design that we could use, we will be in decades into the future.
BTW: neither completed SMR indicates that they are viable and inexpensive option.
The Chinese HTR-PM effectively started life as a project in 2001, and went online to the grid in 2021 with a capacity of 210MW. The Russian Akademik Lomonosov is a barge with a couple of modified icebreaker nuclear reactors on it that requires a lot of refuelling(every 3 years) and teeny power output of 35MW per reactor.
Both cost a lot and the power generated is relatively expensive compared to what we are already producing in recent plants in NZ.
Nuclear looks pretty sick economically compared to something like our geothermal plants. Which are way cheaper to create, faster to build, have no fuelling or waste issues, longer life spans, and that we have been shoving out every few years for decades. They also run on nuclear fission – just indirectly using the heat coming up from Earths hot core.
Nope!
Thank you Macro – I was thinking along the same lines. We lived in Morrinsville in 1972 when a decent shake, followed by a series of aftershocks gave us all a wake up call, the epicentre was in Te Aroha. We now live in Matamata and have felt the effects of the Kerepehi fault having the odd blip in the 9 years we have lived here. The last swarm of earthquakes originated close to Te Aroha and a couple had their genesis in a new found fault line in Waharoa. I read that article about the possibility of a MMI 7+ shake, which really gave me pause for thought. Being the oldie I am now, hopefully I'll be pushing up daisies, or my ashes will be helping some to grow.
My dad feels like that. He is 85. He is living in a fairly active volcanic crater at Rotorua. Gives me the ‘too much knowledge’ creeps every time I drive down the crater wall into town to visit him.
I live in a town with a about 50 odd volcanoes. But they’re nice basalt ones and are liable to give me reasonable warning to get out of town. Not like those explosive pimples in the volcanic plateau.
Ummm that is a new level. I knew there were faults there. Didn't realise that they were quite that level. Looks like I have been falling behind. Some nasty hidden faults around Hamilton as well.
The modern SMR reactors could probably deal with a 7 at Huntly or Mercer if their purportedly inherent safe shutdown works. But I'd like to see a actual testing on that before I'd trust it.
My biggest issue with a Waikato site would be when Taupo goes off again and dumps itself down the Waikato. The ignimbrite pyroclastic flows down the Waikato river valley would pretty catastrophic to Hamilton (as it has been in the past) and probably further down the river valley with a water waves from push and damming. But if that happened then a reactor breach would be the least of all worries.
Perhaps I should move further north than Auckland. 🙂
Tasmania? The whole of NZ is a geological disaster zone waiting to happen…
Drivers are worse, just saying…
I don't drive much apart from my monthly checkups on my father. But the idea of driving through Auckland to get to Rotorua…
I did a paper together with Lloyd Geering in the late 70s early 80s can't remember the actual date for a national body on the energy requirements for NZ with an emphasis on the use of nuclear power. Our conclusions then we're the same as yours above. That is, there was more than sufficient renewable sources then and in the future the problems of disposal of nuclear waste and the safe sites for nuclear power stations.
That was essentially the reasoning for the Huntly station as I remember.
Marine access, seismic stability and cooling water are the biggies.
Te Kawau Point on the Kaipara ticked all the boxes.
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/new-zealand/northland/kaipara.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Plan_for_a_nuclear_power_plant_on_Kaipara_Harbour_%2832399602397%29.jpg
https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-36.455842,174.260502&z=14
Problem is that there hasn’t been a modern survey looking at faults in the north. Bearing in mind what was found in ChCh, Kaikoura, and now doing side scanning in the Hauraki plains and the Waikato – want to take a bet that there aren’t undiscovered rupture faults down under large chunks of Northland? I wouldn’t take a bet against undiscovered faults under the surface. Planning from the surveys done prior to the 1970s is just scary. I remember looking at what they estimated from drilling for the Clyde Dam projects in the 70s and the horrible faulting that they found during excavations in the 1980s.
Still way simpler, cheaper, and a lot safer to just develop dispersed renewable sources. Geothermal and hydro are ideal for base load. The problem with wind and solar is grid + storage.
Onslow would be pretty good for soaking up excess SI hydro spillage. Even better if the bloody smelter wasn't taking uber cheap power. The Waikato system isn't particularly useful.
Batteries are getting better for storage at a price point, not only lithium but also the sodium batteries that are starting to go into service. Small pumped storage and generation would be even better because they just rely on pumps and gravity. All of those are largely tested and in service technologies. They all have lifetime and generating costs that are way less than the full life nuclear power station costs. And a lot less risks.
20/20 hindsight says the proposed Te Kawau scheme was only ever an engineers dream but when I started at the NZED trade school, Ladies Mile in the early seventies, we were convinced that one day we'd get to work on a NPP.
School mate of mine who after finishing his BE in electrical engineering was employed by the then Ministry of Works was sent off to Canada to study Nuclear power stations so your conviction had some basis in reality
When Clyde was being built the explanation (story doing the rounds of the site) for the unused 5th and 6th penstocks was that machines 5 & 6 were for a future pumped hydro project above Roxburgh. Whether that was true or construction site speculation I don't know, but I heard it from people fairly well up the chain.
Unfortunately geology had the final say on Clutha / Kawarau development, and Douglas and his mates dealt to the Ministry, so that as that.
Great post lprent….agree totally.
OK. Thanks.
Wow Ad! "First we take NZ and then we take the world' (apols to Leonard Cohen)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_We_Take_Manhattan
I like the use of the concept of the undersea cable. I can't help thinking that those thoughtful people who pushed for the cable joining the North & South Islands and us to Aus would be smiling at the thought that we can export via these cables.
Will have another look a bit later….
Since the technology and will to plan a cable from Northern Territory to Singapore for the big SunCable project is already there, then a somewhat shorter New Plymouth to Sydney is possible.
Besides the SunCable project, there are other Australian funds with the scale and intent to invest.
https://aware.com.au/member/about-us/responsible-ownership/investing-in-renewables#:~:text=Powering%20Australia%20Renewables%20(PowAR)%20invests,renewable%20energy%20projects%20across%20Australia.
Maybe our largest trading partner would be interested in a little infrastructure investment…
Large scale solar farms are being approved all over the place in Australia. It's hard to keep up.
Almost invariably they have grid-linked batteries attached.
It's a revolution that NZshould be joining. That will need a change of government.
Nationalise electricity generation and, possibly, retail too. Don't pay current owners a cent in "compensation". The bastards have milked us for long enough. But I guarantee no "Labour" government will do anything of the sort. It's probably just as well we won't see a "Labour" government any time soon.
Way too scary for Labour…might get called a bunch of commies…
Can you tell the difference between a commie and a neo-con/lib? Because I struggle, they both so good at double speak.
Another Labour Govt within the next 15 years would be a disaster for NZ.
You mean they might screw up the water supplies, the ferries, the whole building industry, raise unemployment, kill small businesses, waste billions on tax cuts for the rich, gut public health, and watch record emigration levels of skilled Kiwis across the Tasman?
Great comeback robo.
Try thinking for yourself instead of clicking on the auto-generate reply button for a change, if you are capable.
Kerry your funny mate I reckon you should do standup comedy
Kind of, Kerry, although it's just a really tiny number of NZers, the most wealthy I'd say.
If we have learnt one thing in the last 40 years.Competent government can manage public goods. Whilst ideological goat lovers, have proven private interest is not capable to act in the public interest, as the greed factor is too alluring.
Labour can keep talking till they are blue in the face, it won't change the fact that they fail 90% of the time at what they attempt.
Another satirist?
Better than the 100 percent failure rate of the current shower.
When did I become a labour supporter?
That said, I would have thought, the public health system that has worked better than what was before, since labour created it and state housing get them over 90%.
Sure the whole ideological goat lover thing they have run with the last while has dropped their hit rate.
I doubt your restructure the gentailers would change anything. They would still be 49% privately owned, and still operating under the Companies Act, so obliged to return the maximum profit to shareholders. So the current shenanigans continue.
A meaningful reform would be a new class of entity for public good entities that allows them to operate for public good, rather than private / state profit. The separation from the government of the day, like the Super Fund is on the right track, just got to get the entities out of the Companies Act. The same class of entity could control 3 Waters, roads and telecom infrastructure.
With the Trans Tasman cable, and integration with the Eastern Australian market, has there been any work done on how the two markets would integrate, and the respective benefits to each market. I would presume the 3 hour time difference would allow some load sharing along with geographic and climate diversity with wind generation, but is New Zealand's excess generation enough to make enough impact to Australia to warrant any contribution to the cost of the cable. Also would Eastern Australia have any excess to export to NZ, and would that be economic. We're not Singapore that produces 94% of it's electricity from natural gas
I don't think we need to reinvent things too much. But the models to watch are the British Energy model from British Labour which is based in Scotland, Electricite de France S.A. (EDF), and of course Orsted of Denmark which has led its country through a massive shift from carbonised to decarbonised power.
There have been good studies done on how the Northern Territory feeds would integrate into Singapore's. The next questions however will be along laying cable on the continental shelf and EEC of Indonesia. Not insurmountable when many northern European states have done it already.
No, eastern Australia would have little electricity to sell us. That makes our supply good for them and good for us.
I'm not presuming this collection of reforms will solve everything. I would certainly expect that Labour's Winter Heating subsidy for old people would still be required, for example.
They would still be 49% privately owned, and still operating under the Companies Act, so obliged to return the maximum profit to shareholders.
There needs to be a clear removal of this requirement.
Also the questions of cross – subsidisation need to be addressed as well as discounted pricing. Previously urban areas cross-subsidied rural as part of the commitment to rural electricity supply. Business also cross subsidised home.
In my view all household consumers should pay the same rates across the country. A low rate for a certain level of usage with a couple of tiers of higher rates for higher usage.
Should bulk business users get discounts is an interesting question. It seems to be costs have been pushed from business to homeowners over the years and small businesses pay more relatively. Someone has to pay the costs of generation and if it isn't the bulk buyers then it has to be everyone else.
Electricity price could be framed as tax cuts paid for by using your power bill as a de-facto tax on everyone, but offset by divided for those who own shares.
Once government saw electricity as a source of revenue, rather than an economic and social good, we went down the gurgler. Not to say that energy shouldn't have a price, sufficient to encourage efficient use, but that price shouldn't be the limit the market can stand.
Home owners and small business have been cross subsidising power companies "competing" for big customers since privatisation.
Not to mention the extra costs of fake competition and the disincentives to add generation for cheaper power.
Then there is the constant "revaluation" of assets to justify predatory pricing.
The real answer is to set up sustainable state owned generation and put the current ones out of business. Nationalisation without compensation is the best option. But I don't see any political party having that much courage.
And the borrowing to pay dividends. That should also be made illegal.
I'm hoping that you're allowing for graduated increases in rate depending on usage.
There is a very good reason to incentivize people to use less electricity. In the same way as there is good reason to incentivize people to use less water.
I'm hoping that you're allowing for graduated increases in rate depending on usage.
Maybe if you read or comprehended what I wrote you'd know the answer.
A low rate for a certain level of usage with a couple of tiers of higher rates for higher usage.
Methanex moving from a two to one plant operation.
Using less gas each year.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/another-blow-for-industry-methanex-proposes-idling-plant-indefinitely-job-cuts/FZS76HTRDJAEVN3RS4YAWXJXFQ/
This may be why.
https://archive.li/i0rz6#selection-3891.95-3891.114
Or Methanex can make more profit selling the gas on the spot market than processing it into methanol.
Yep
This looks a tad messy, and another Melissa Lee project, so could be an interesting week ahead.
Stephen Joyce's whole of government contracting seems to have simply resulted in the transfer of public funds to the corporate private sector with no reduction in cost.
The entrails of this one could be revealing.
We've got a resource (fossil gas) that's running out a lot faster than expected, demoralised public servants negotiating a supply contract with some fairly sharp companies, which may be 51% government owned, and overseen by a minister with a solid track record of hubris and fucking things up.
Of course it will all because Labour banned new exploration.
Reality is that we ere sold a pup with Taranaki gas, it was squandered on low return uses (we weren't alone there), and when it started to not produce as expected no one would come out and directly say it would run out very soon.
It'll get very tricky soon as a lot of people will be locked into buying imported LPG for hot water and cooking. Most houses built after mid 90's have an external gas hot water heater, replacing those with electric alternatives generally isn't trivial, there's nowhere in the house for an electric cylinder, and external cylinders have their challenges. Electric replacements for cooking can easily turn into a full rebuild of the kitchen to get enough power in there. Add in appartments and unit titles / cross lease and it really turns to fun.
The irony is that an energy source can be found by looking out your window. Okay there will need to be some builds to make it work BUT….