McGovernment
Written By:
- Date published:
5:06 am, September 30th, 2009 - 12 comments
Categories: climate change, national/act government -
Tags: treasury
This increasingly ramshackle government continues to astound. They’ve basically done nothing in a year when the country has been dealing with the worst economic crisis in decades. When they have tried to tackle big issues, the result has been incompetent policy produced entirely for political reasons – framed as moderate while paying off big business. Take Treasury’s view of National’s Emissions Trading Scheme:
Adequacy statement
A Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) was prepared for these proposals, and independently reviewed by Treasury’s Regulatory Impact Analysis Team (RIAT). RIAT has formed the view that the level and quality of analysis presented is not commensurate with the significance of the proposals, which represent major design changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme, and that the RIS does not provide an adequate basis for informed decision-making. Some key risks identified by RIAT include (but are not limited to) the following:
- there is no clear analytical basis for the proposal to align some key design elements of the New Zealand ETS with those in the currently proposed Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). For example, there is no discussion of the overall suitability or benefits of applying these elements to New Zealand’s unique emissions profile and industrial structures:
- there is no discussion of the risks of harmonising with an overseas scheme that has not yet been finalised or agreed and may yet be subject to significant revision. Such risks may include the potential impacts on business certainty and investment decisions, and the overall credibility, sustainability and effectiveness of the NZ ETS:
- there is no information on the implied transition path for firms over the medium-to-long term, particularly given that the proposal is for a temporary period of greater assistance coupled with an ambitious long-term emissions reduction target. Without this, it is hard to assess whether it is likely that the design changes will allow for a smoother transition for business.
So, Treasury’s not even getting to the point of saying ‘hey, sweet policy’ or ‘man, this sucks’. They’re just saying ‘what is this rubbish? You can’t seriously be planning on making sweeping changes to the biggest economic policy since GST without even thinking it through first’.
It’s McGovernment: crap that’s bad for you, makes profits for big foreign business, and is served to you by a clown.
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Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
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It’s McGovernment: crap that’s bad for you, makes profits for big foreign business, and is served to you by a clown.
Possibly the best line on this blog ever.
Funny. And true.
Sad. And true.
And yes – also – hell of a line! Perfect analysis in a perfect metaphor. Is BLiP about? In his/her honour – “Thanks National, I’m Lovin’ it”.
(PS – Marty – add a “McGovernment” tag – I think we might want to be using it again…)
Now I’m having second thoughts. Is it really fair to be taking the McKey like this?
I tried to suppress the laugh
Why thank you, kind sir.
This is a bit off-track but a report this morning that Tolley”didn’t know it meant actual teachers” when she was planning to cut 770 primary teachers defies belief. This has to be the most incompetent,idiotic, corrupt, stupid, venal bunch of evil bastards let loose on this country in it’s history. When Kiwis turn it will be very swift and very vicious on these fools, I can’t wait.
where was that?
god she’s incompetent
Unbelievable that it got so far before being dropped.
Bid to shed 770 teachers axed
So much for the three R’s that NACT have been saying that they’re so concerned about.
Good on ya Marty. I was planning this very blog topic myself today, and you beat me to it. I’m not sure I could have said it better!
Served by a clown! Too right!
The Treasury panning of the ETS revisions came as a relief, frankly. At least we can now get past the idea that NACT has any economic credentials worth a damn, and stop pretending that there’s anything other than blind ideology driving this systematic looting of the country.