Two recent news items confirm that we are well and truly in election year..
First up there was this news that NZ First had torpedoed the Green Party’s supporting EV policy. The policy itself is sound. Anything that moves the country’s fleet from embarrassing gas guzzler to sleek hybrid or even sleeker EV is a good thing. We are facing a crisis. Every step that produces less CO2 emissions is a good thing.
I mean do we have to go through this again? The proof is in. The polar caps are melting. Australia has burned recently. Auckland is tinder dry and people relying on rain are running out of water.
And it is not even as if the policy was overly radical. The same number of vehicles would enter the fleet, it is just that people would be incentivised to buy more efficient vehicles and disincentivised from buying less efficient vehicles.
And why is this a bad thing? The preferred vehicles will destroy the environment less quickly, have lower running costs and be slightly slower. Can someone point out to me the downside?
Of course the policy is not perfect. We have to aim for the end of petrol driven cars coming into the fleet by 2035, just like Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom has done. But this was a start.
NZ First clearly thought there was a downside. It stopped them from seeking support from ultra conservatives if they acted rationally about climate change. Excuse me while I cry a crocodile tear.
From Thomas Coughlan at Stuff:
The Government’s headline policy to cut the price of electric vehicles by up to $8000 has stalled in first gear after NZ First ministers halted it.
The policy had two parts: a Clean Car Discount, or “feebate” which would subsidise the cost of cleaner vehicles by making polluting vehicles cost more and a Clean Car Standard, which was designed to encourage importers to import cars with better emissions standards.
Green co-leader James Shaw said if NZ First ultimately decided to block the policy, his party would take it to the election.
That now looks likely.
It is understood this measure was weighed up by the NZ First caucus and it decided such a policy needed to go to the electorate.
It is understood this measure was weighed up by the NZ First caucus and it decided such a policy needed to go to the electorate.
“We can confirm NZ First are holding up the rollout of policy that would mean cheaper electric and hybrid cars for New Zealanders,” Shaw said.
There were attacks on the policy suggesting people in rural areas would be hit hardest. Maybe they should stop buying gas guzzlers. It is their environment too. And their way of live depends on a sustainable environment existing.
The second example is particularly galling. As we approach the anniversary of the Christchurch tragedy and as stage 2 of the Government’s proposed law changes makes its way through the house NZ First want to play politics with the bill.
From Collette Devlin at Stuff:
NZ First could potentially hold up new gun laws as it changes tack in supporting gun law reform.
It comes as the gun lobby puts pressure on the party to renege on its commitment to pass the laws, telling supporters NZ First would be “toast” in the election if it supported the new gun law.
The party has so far supported reform but NZ First MP Ron Mark has signalled the party may move away from supporting core aspects of the news laws, saying the caucus had some reservations.
The Arms Legislation Bill, which passed its second reading on Wednesday, includes a firearms registry, harsher penalties and a new warning system to show if a person is a fit and proper person to hold a firearms licence.
The Select Committee process also resulted in a number of changes to the Bill that included: the duration of a firearms licence remaining at 10 years, new restrictions to prohibit carbine conversion kits for pistols, modified language around health considerations and the clarification of privacy issues around access to the register by agencies like NZ Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Select Committee process also resulted in a number of changes to the Bill that included: the duration of a firearms licence remaining at 10 years, new restrictions to prohibit carbine conversion kits for pistols, modified language around health considerations and the clarification of privacy issues around access to the register by agencies like NZ Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (these nuts) think that trying to stop the mass murder of innocent muslims by extremists is somehow an attack on their rights, paradoxically rights they never had. And why don’t they accept that the current rules are hopeless. There are 51 reasons I can offer why.
NZ First’s language is frustratingly vague. Do they think there should be a right to bear semi automatic weapons that can kill a large number of people during a very brief time? Who knows.
The Bill has wide public support. Only extremes on the right think the proposal is a bad idea.
On these two issues NZ First will suggest that they are acting as a balance between two extremes. They are not. They are actively seeking support from the extreme part of the political spectrum so that they can survive.
If you ever need evidence to show why increased support for Labour and for the Greens is vital this should provide plenty.
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