Like rolling in your own excrement

ACT is accusing the government of having "conflicting policies" over utilisation of coal. I don't see any conflict here at all. Burning coal for energy is like rolling in your own excrement, and is the sort of thing we should discourage in the long term. The government agrees, which is why it's planning to charge coal-burners a carbon tax.

As for the issue of mining within the conservation estate, the idea that companies should be allowed to do this is simply ludicrous. The point of conservation estate is to conserve. Digging dirty great holes in the ground clearly runs contrary to this aim. Maybe someone should buy Ken Shirley a dictionary?

Still, I'm glad to see this press release from ACT, because the more they spout crap like this, the more they show how far their ideals differ from those of mainstream New Zealand. Ordinary New Zealanders place a relatively high value on conservation. ACT clearly does not, and the clearer they convey this message to the electorate, the better.