Joyce in Dreamland with His Failing Economic Plan
Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
8 DECEMBER
2016
Joyce in Dreamland with His Failing Economic Plan
Minister of Economic Development Stephen Joyce has ducked for cover to avoid embarrassment over the dumping of a plan to build a $300 million pulp mill at Ngawha near Kaikohe, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“The pulp mill was a key part of the government’s so-called Northland Economic Action Plan to, in his words, ‘transform the region,’ but it has fallen flat.
“In Parliament today he did his utmost to steer away from any discussion on this topic.
“The plain fact is the Minister of Energy and Resources has failed completely to rein in the Electricity Authority’s proposed power price hikes which has been the main cause in killing off the Ngawha pulp mill plan.
“The possibility of having hundreds of jobs have now been lost and the hopes of Northlanders dashed.
“Mr Joyce must live in a dream world if he thinks economic development can thrive when Northland faces huge power prices that stifle any major developments,” Mr Peters says.
ENDS