Comparing NZ to Venezuela Suddenly Less of an Exaggeration

"The ban on oil and gas exploration is monumentally stupid, but doing it without effective public consultation ihas much graver effects on our international reputation," according to ACT Leader David Seymour

The Government tonight proposed to have the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill, to ban oil and gas exploration, reported back from Select Committee by October 29th.

"With Parliament on recess for the school holidays, there will effectively only be two weeks for the Select Committee to hear public submissions and deliberate on what it hears. The Government is effectively saying it does not want to have public input into the legislation

"The nearest comparison is the Overseas Investment Act Amendment Bill. This bill was also a major regulatory initiative held under time pressure. It was a disaster with the bill having to be largely rewritten by the Committee with many industries exempted from the bill after submissions were heard. The difference is that bill was heard over six months, none of that work could be done in four weeks.

"Critically, this move damages New Zealand's international credibility. It makes our Government seem irrascible and unpredictable. Not only does the Government kneecap whole industries, it does it in an undemocratic way. We are becoming Venezuelan.

ENDS

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