28 July 2001

Power Crisis: New Zealand First Calls For House To Resume Under Urgency

New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Energy spokesperson Peter Brown has today repeated his calls to the Government to end its inaction in the face of the deepening power crisis.

“It is time to set aside partisan politics, to stop blaming Max Bradford, and to take some real action. Parliament sat under urgency last week to deal with legislation that will have no immediate effect on power supply, demand, or pricing. This weak legislation, the generally lily-livered response to the fleecing of electricity consumers, and the hands-off approach to the present shortage have got us absolutely nowhere. While the Minister fiddles Rome burns, consumers shiver, businesses retrench, our exports wane, and our economy shrinks. Mr Hodgson needs to do far more than wander around his ministerial house turning off his ministerial appliances, Mr Brown said.

“I have written today to the Leader of the House requesting that he call all MPs back to Wellington on Monday so that the House can again take urgency, but this time I urge the Minister to provide some real solutions.

“The electricity industry needs to be regulated, wholesale prices need to be capped, and cash incentives need to be made immediately available to those who reduce their demand. The market has not provided, it is past time for the Government to intervene for the benefit of all New Zealanders” Mr Brown concluded.

ENDS

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