Tuesday, June 26, 2007

National Schizophrenic on biofuels

Today in Parliament, National's Gerry Brownlee attacked the government's biofuels sales obligation as imposing an excessive cost for emissions reduction compared to other options. Partly, this was based on bad numbers - Brownlee derived his cost by dividing the $125 million capital cost by the 1 million tons of CO2 saved over the five year Kyoto First Commitment Period, which straps the chicken by completely ignoring future savings. But apart from that shoddy exercise, there's also the interesting fact that a biofuels obligation is official National Party policy [PDF], and that back in February, Nick Smith was complaining that the government wasn't implementing it fast enough!

It would be nice if the National Party would make up its mind where it stood on this issue. Does it support biofuels or not? Because it can't have it both ways - at least not if it wants to retain any credibility with the electorate.

8 comments:

  1. Given your leftist political and philosophical positions I'm surprised at you using a mental illness (schizophrenia) in such a way with your rhetoric.

    It strikes me as somewhat insulting to people who suffer from mental illness.

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  2. Yes it is a somewhat surprising analogy - I didn't think National had any credibility!

    Macro

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  3. I can envisage a day when biofuels kill more people through food prices than they save via global "not warming". that day may well be today already.
    still - oh well.. I guess we will see...

    GNZ

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  4. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10370386

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  5. Interesting reading here:

    Massacres and Paramilitary Land Seizures Behind the Biofuel Revolution
    http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/06/05/1678/

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  6. adopting biofuels is like inviting a third party in to "spice up" your marriage.

    Sound like a good idea, but ends up being more trouble than its worth.

    Brendon "Millsy" Mills

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  7. Yes, shame on you. As a past sufferer of schizophrenia I find your comments a little degrading.

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  8. As a current psychopath I have no objection if I/S wants to use the term to attack any NZ politicians.

    If I did I'd chew through my cell bars and come and cut his fucken arms off. I would you know.. I would... Gerroff!

    [at this point the commentor is removed from the computer and returned to a shackled position]

    ReplyDelete

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