Pansy Wong National Energy Spokesperson

Tony Ryall National Commerce Spokesperson

31 July 2001

Electricity crisis, what crisis?

The Minister of Energy appears to be confused on whether New Zealand is in the grip of an electricity crisis, National's Pansy Wong and Tony Ryall said today.

"When is a crisis not a crisis? Last week, Pete Hodgson said the country was not facing a crisis. Today he told Parliament we have an 'approaching' crisis and that there was the 'prospect' of a crisis," Mrs Wong said.

"Does the Minister have a clear view at all of what is happening? He persists in sending out confusing messages which only undermine New Zealanders' confidence that this serious issue can be resolved.

"New Zealand doesn't need a Minister who's behaving like a possum in the headlights.

"How can Mr Hodgson ask everyone to pull together to conserve electricity, yet refuse to assure us that the state-owned generators are not making obscene profits out of this crisis for the Government?" Mr Ryall said.

"The Minister has to take leadership on this and work with electricity generators, retailers and consumers to come up with practical solutions to the problem, and stop denying what everyone knows. There is a crisis and we need to get real," he said.

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