25 August 2000
LPG boom positive spinoff of petrol price rises

Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said although nobody enjoyed paying more and more to fill up their cars, the current swing towards LPG was of advantage to the environment and the economy.

Ms Fitzsimons said growing interest in the cleaner burning and locally produced gas should be encouraged and supported by the Government, both as a way towards substantially reducing our emissions and to offsetting the economic impacts of soaring imported fuel prices.

"The Green Party urge the Government to look at some form of incentives to encourage people to make the switch from petrol to LPG. With high interest in LPG, now is the time for the Government to actively encourage the environmentally superior alternative," she said.

Ms Fitzsimons said while CNG was pretty much dead in the water after years of Government neglect, she hoped it could be revived. She said while she applauded the retro-fitting of LPG in service stations, she hoped this would also extend to CNG, which was even cleaner than LPG.

Ms Fitzsimons noted that oil imports rose 25 per cent in the year to March and that in the same period local oil production dropped by 18 per cent.

"Petrol has higher harmful emissions and is a deadweight on our balance of payments in contrast to domestically produced LPG and CNG," she said.

"We urge the Government to act quickly to capitalise on the resurgence of LPG," said Ms Fitzsimons. "Some genuine leadership - such as switching all Crown cars to LPG or CNG and conversion incentives - would be to the benefit of our economy and environment.

"A major switch to LPG would be one positive to come out of the current petrol pricing spiral," she said.

Jeanette Fitzsimons MP: 025 586 068 Jonathan Hill (press secretary): 021 110 1133

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