Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Energy Spokesman

28 February 2008

Parker’s ‘naïve’ views already on the record

National Party Energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee says Energy and Climate Change Minister David Parker’s ‘naïve’ approach to policy is already on the public record in an affidavit from the former Electricity Commissioner.

“Former Electricity Commission chairman Roy Hemmingway described Mr Parker’s approach to energy infrastructure as ‘naïve’, ‘slightly unusual’ and ‘slightly outside the square’.”

“Mr Parker’s latest public stand off with the sector demonstrates the frustration that is descending around Labour’s energy and climate change policies.

“How is burning more than a million litres of diesel at the stand-by Whirinaki plant during February in line with Labour’s climate change rhetoric?

“With industry shut-downs looming, Labour has failed to future proof our energy infrastructure. ‘Naïve’ and confused leadership is the last thing this country needs,” Mr Brownlee says.

In his affidavit, former Electricity Commission chairman Mr Hemmingway paints a picture of a dysfunctional relationship with David Parker.

That affidavit says: **

- ‘Many of us on the board considered the Minister’s directions on the future path to be taken to be completely naïve and worst of all disrespectful of the expertise possessed by the commissioners and of their supposed independence from Government’

- ‘While he seemed very enthusiastic about the energy area and had a lot of ideas of his own, some of these were slightly unusual’

- ‘It was necessary for both the commission and Ministry officials to advise the Minister that some of his thinking was outside the square’

- ‘It appeared to me that Minister Parker approached his job with less thirst for knowledge than his predecessor and a resistance to discussing matters of detail’

ENDS

** Roy Hemmingway’s Affidavit: http://notowers.co.nz/jr/ .

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