When National came into office, it went on vandalism spree, smashing everything and repealing policies simply because they had been passed by the previous government. Climate change policy was a prime target, with the regime repealing all effective policy and reneging on the bipartisan deal over the Zero Carbon Act, which saw targets and policies watered down in exchange for its supposedly ongoing support. Since then, they've repealed the offshore gas exploration ban - and now they're demanding that Labour commit to not reinstating it, in the name of "bipartisanship":
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has written to Labour leader Chris Hipkins asking him to commit to supporting offshore exploration for natural gas for at least the next 10 years.Hipkins has already said "fuck that", and rightly so. If National wants to make deals, they have to keep them. They haven't, so no deals can be made. Their one-sided version of "bipartisanship", where they get to do whatever they want, and everyone else has to simply accept it, is a mug's game.In the letter, seen by RNZ, Luxon said if Labour reinstated a ban on offshore gas exploration, it might pose an insurmountable barrier for some investors.
"You have said previously that, if elected, Labour will not spend its time 'pausing, cancelling, and reviewing everything'. But bipartisanship must be more than a political slogan," Luxon wrote to Hipkins on Monday.
"Hence, I am writing to seek a commitment from the Labour Party to support offshore exploration for natural gas for at least the next ten years.
