Phil Heatley
National Party Associate Energy Spokesman

6 July 2006

Blackout: All reviewing, no doing

National Party Associate Energy spokesman Phil Heatley says the energy sector is suffering paralysis by analysis.

"Labour's natural instinct whenever there's a crisis is to call for reports, independent reports, new committees and after-the-fact reviews. After so many years in office Labour already knows that the RMA is one of the main villains, yet it refuses to do anything about it."

Mr Heatley is commenting on Energy Minister David Parker's second report in two weeks on the Auckland City blackout.

"Yes, we needed an independent review, but the public did not expect that they would have to wait for all the reviewing before there was any doing."

Since coming into office, Labour has released numerous documents around security of electricity supply, including:

o June 2000: Electricity Industry Inquiry Report.
o October 2000: Energy Policy Framework.
o December 2000: Government Policy Statement.
o December 2002: Government Policy Statement on Financial Transmission Rights.
o September 2003: Electricity Commission Established and Draft Government Policy Statement on Electricity Governance.
o October 2004: New Government Policy Statement on Electricity Governance.
o October 2004: Sustainable Energy Discussion Document.
o June 2005: Initial Security of Supply Policy.

Mr Heatley says if Labour was serious about security of supply it could start almost immediately with an overhaul of the RMA.

"How many more reports laying out the problems do we need before the Government moves to fix them?"

ENDS

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