The Government’s 100 per cent renewable electricity target puts Green Party ideology ahead of basic economics and will hurt New Zealanders, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

According to Radio New Zealand, the Interim Climate Change Committee has said the plan to transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2035 would push power prices up by 39 per cent for little environmental gain.

“This Green Party policy will hurt ordinary Kiwis without helping the planet for a purely ideological goal.

“The renewables target represents more emotional environmentalism from the Greens and follows on from the nutty oil and gas and plastic bag bans.

“The Government’s response to climate change should be to set a price for emissions and let polluters find the cheapest way of reducing them.

“A properly-functioning emissions trading scheme does just this. There is no need for politicians to pick winners.

“By forcing the public to use a particular source of energy, rather than basing energy policy on sound economics, the Government will send power prices through the roof.

“The Government has failed economics 101 with its renewables target. It should drop the policy before consumers get hurt.”

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