A month ago, the regime announced its big plan for keeping New Zealand addicted to fossil fuels "energy security": a giant LNG terminal, importing expensive foreign high-emissions fuel, to be paid for by people who don't use it, and bulldozed through with a special law. It was always a stupid plan, more expensive than simply reducing gas demand, while leaving us dependant on imported fuel which could simply disappear in a crisis. And the events of the last week, which have seen the strait of Hormuz closed to shipping and international supplies of LNG cut off (causing a bidding war and price increases) show just how stupid it is. If National had their way, then in future crises we would face having LNG supplies - and therefore electricity prices - massively increase in price overnight. They would effectively link our domestic electricity prices to the stability of the Persian Gulf. And that is not anyone's definition of "security".
What would real energy security look like? reducing exposure to dirty foreign fossil fuels. Which in this case means a massive increase in renewable electricity generation, combined with a crash program to electrify gas-dependent industry. Obviously, that would be terrible for the gas industry, who wrote National's plan. And it would be terrible for the government's finances, because power cartel dividends mean they profit from our artificially high prices. But it would be good for the environment, and good for us. We would have significantly lower power bills as a result. And that is exactly why national, the party of gouging cartels, won't do it.
IN other words, if we want this, we need to kick them out. The sooner we do it, the better.
