22 NOVEMBER 2015

Falsehoods, Ignorance, Head in the Sand on Emission Reductions

The government has its head in the sand on electric vehicles, says New Zealand First.

“National is blind to the glare of opportunity in the electric vehicle industry,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“It is refusing to concede that electric vehicles will reduce emissions, save New Zealand a fortune in oil imports and will protect our green image.

“In its ignorance it is denying electric vehicle entrepreneurs in New Zealand a vital lift to move ahead quickly.

“Climate Change Minister Tim Groser claimed today National does not do subsidies, just as Transport Minister Simon Bridges told the industry recently – ‘go it alone’.

“This is to blatantly ignore the positive alternatives.

“Mr Groser’s pearler was delivered unchallenged on TV One’s Q&A programme this morning in discussions on the forthcoming Climate Change Conference in Paris.

“National has had no problem dishing out taxpayer money previously:

$67 million to Warner Bros

$30m to Rio Tinto

$800m to South Canterbury Finance

A sweet heart deal over TVNZ land, extra pokies and the new convention centre for SkyCity.

“New Zealand has hydro-electric generation on tap, as Norway does, and its forged ahead with its EV industry. Norway has over 70,000 electric vehicles already. In contrast, NZ only has about 800.

“All we need is a government to stop talking ideological platitudes and to start supporting practical policies,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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