Increases ‘savage’
Parliamentary reporter
“This is an eighth mini-budget shabbily disguised as an energy policy.” said the Opposition spokesmen on energy, Messrs W. W. Freer and T. J. Young, yesterday.
"These latest savage increases must have a crippling effect on consumer costs and progressive industrial development,” they said. “They mean that in the first 10 months of the
National Government, increases of more than 80 per cent in the cost of basic household fuels have been announced. “These costs must now increase at a rate dictated by overseas interests. In tying the price of indigenous fuels to the price of
imported oil, the Govern-
ment has ensured that every time the O.P.E.C. countries lift their prices, the cost of New Zealand fuels is dragged up. “The next oil price-rise is expected in December—the so-called energy statement could be out of date
before it even takes effect. This is not an energy policy, it is abrogating Government responsibility to the whim of the Arabs/’ Messrs Freer and Young said. “The Government has done nothing to encourage the development of alternative energy sources and ease the oil stranglehold. There are no positive moves on alternative energy sources such as wind power and solar energy. In fact, the Government is actively discouraging oil exploration in this country by inflicting unrealistic levies on local petroleum,” they said.
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Bibliographic details
Press, 9 October 1976, Page 1
Word Count
223Increases ‘savage’ Press, 9 October 1976, Page 1
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