Birch view ‘misleading’

Press, 21 May 1982, Page 4

Birch view ‘misleading’

A statement by the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) to the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association has been called misleading by Campaign Power Poll. Mr David Jackson, a spokesman for the group, said that Mr Birch had been “quite incorrect” when he had told the supply authorities that the recent High Court decision on the water rights for the proposed Clyde dam was based on a “very fine point of law." Mr Jackson said: “The water right was referred back' to the Planning Tribunal because the High

Court considered that the tribunal had originally failed to consider the end use of the power generated from the Clyde. “This is hardly a fine point of law, but surely the crux of the whole issue: that is, whether or not the power should be generated at all.” Mr Jackson said that Mr Justice Casey, in his High Court ruling on the matter, had said: “The heart of this appeal is the question of whether the tribunal should have taken into account the purpose for which electricity was required.” Mr Jackson said that the

Government now asserted the electricity from the Clyde- high dam will be necessary even if the proposed Aramoana smelter did not proceed. "The need for the electricity is such a debatable point that it should be discussed fully at the tribunal rehear-, ing. If the Government does not have a. good cause for building the dam, then surely this will come out at the planning tribunal hearing. If not, then millions of dollars of electricty consumers’ money will be saved. Ramming through special legislation to build the dam is not the answer.” .