19 December 2007

New VIP cars are a move in the right direction

Climate Change Minister David Parker says it’s churlish to criticise the Department of Internal Affairs for taking steps towards sustainability.

“For the first time, the Department of Internal Affairs is taking the environment into account when procuring vehicles. That’s a requirement this government has put in place, and it’s a good thing.

“The Department has chosen a BMW 730 Ld for the VIP Transport Fleet, which consumes 8.01 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.

“That’s more than two litres less than the current Ford Fairlanes. It is also less than the average new import, the average used import, and the average car on the New Zealand road.”

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, released this year, sets a target of achieving an average fuel efficiency of 7 litres per 100 km by 2015.

“Obviously, an average efficiency standard allows for vehicles that are larger as well as smaller than that standard, and a fuel efficient larger car such as the BMW 730 Ld could help the country meet that average target,” David Parker said.

“In any case, by 2015, these cars will have been replaced, most likely with even more fuel efficient cars.”

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On The New Government’s Policies Of Yesteryear

Winston Peters is routinely described as the kingmaker who decides whether the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded, but equally important role as the scapegoat who can be blamed for killing taxes that his senior partners never much wanted in the first place. Neither Ardern nor Robertson for example, really wanted a capital gains tax, for fear of Labour copping the “tax and spend“ label they ended up being saddled with anyway. Usefully though, they could tell the party faithful it was wicked old Winston who killed the CGT. More