New Zealand's long term outlook for security of electricity supply could be severely compromised by Minister Pete Hodgson, ACT Environment Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff says.

"After 18 months in office Pete Hodgson and colleagues seem to behave like they know more about the industry than the industry itself.

"The proposed efficient gas fired power station at Huntly should be entirely a decision for Genesis Energy to make without political interference. If the Government was prepared to sell Genesis then the company would be free to make its own decisions, based on commercial logic and free from meddling.

"I shudder to think of the implication of evoking the Electricity Governance Board on the industry. California here we come ' with the prospect of all the disruptions that area has suffered due to state directives on pricing.

"Meridian Energy is proposing a nearly $1 billion major generation platform in the lower Waitaki, with significant benefit for irrigation. One can only assume Meridian have done their homework and projected the future needs ' as indeed would have Genesis. Will the Government interfere with Meridian's judgement also. Sale of both these companies would allow proper commercial decisions benefiting the country to be made.

"This sort of political interference in an essential industry bodes ill for the future," Gerry Eckhoff said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>