Energy sparks lively debate

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 3

Energy sparks lively debate

PA Wellington The differing stances of the three political parties on the development of New Zealand’s energy resources provoked lively debate in Parliament yesterday during discussion of the Imprest Supply Bill. The Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) said the Government was giving priority to the development of the Maui gas field and had committed itself not only to the use of the nation’s resources but the use of new technology. This was necessary if New Zealand was. going to achieve self-sufficiency in fuel.

“We cannot avoid the reality of having to use new technology in spite of the fear this strikes in the heart of Social Credit,” he said. The Social Credit leader (Mr Beetham) said the best energy option for New Zealand always had been the. ethanol route to self-suffi-ciency.

“It is a cause of great concern to me that the energy track which could be taken using our own re-

sources, our own technology, our own expertise, and our own money is being pushed aside by the Government and downgraded in favour of alternatives which will produce some highly questionable foreign exchange gains,” he said.

The agricultural community was very concerned about the Government’s industrial development policy on the ground that it would not leave sufficient investment funds available for farming expansion. I Mr R. J. Tizard (Lab., Otahuhu) said National “blamed the Arabs for the. oil price increase. What did they say in 1975? It was the Labour Government’s fault.

“Oil prices increased five times between 1973 and 1975. They have increased three times since then.”

Labour, he said, proposed to revise the programmes because New Zealand did not have the skilled staff to do one of the energy projects, vet National proposed to embark on all of them in a short time. . ■