Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:608;Page:5302] 
8.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (NZ National—Ilam) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy 
: Since his call for 10 percent power savings was answered last weekend with an average power saving of only 3 percent has he and his ministerial colleagues considered lowering the minimum water levels in hydro lakes; if so what specific measures have been considered? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Energy) 
: 
 Cabinet has made no decision to legislate for lower minimum levels in hydro lakes nor has it considered any formal proposal to do so. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Is the Minister aware that information published on the EMCO Comet Free and Winter Power Task Force websites indicates that given current savings current inflows and current storage levels New Zealand has only 40 days’ hydro power left; if not why now—and why does he find that funny? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I can assure the House that no matter what the member has found on someone’s website there is no chance of our hydro lakes running dry in the next 40 days. If the member is that intent on wetting his pants I suggest he goes to the hills before he does so. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I will not make any comment about the comment that you have just allowed to stand in the question— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Well I will. The Minister will stand withdraw and apologise for that comment. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave at this point in question time so we are clear about where we are going to table a document that shows that if New Zealand were entirely dependent upon hydro electricity we would have— 
Rt Hon Helen Clark 
: It’s not. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Well it is 30-percent reliant on thermal; so we have got either 40 or 52 days left. The Prime Minister should make up her mind. I want to table a document that shows we have 40 days’ hydro capacity left. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Have minimum levels for hydro lakes been lowered in the past in response to the prospect of power shortages? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: No they have not but legislation enabling this was passed in the crisis year of 1992 by the then National Government. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Does the Minister agree with those who believe that the environment should always pay the price of our bad planning and waste and does he think it could ever be acceptable to wipe out an entire species like the black stilt just to keep the lights burning on the motorway? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I acknowledge the environmental issues around such an option and indeed the wider environmental issues for the townships such as dust storms the following summer. It is an issue that is well down the Government’s list; it is however on the list. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Has the Minister changed his view from the one he held in 1992 on the issue of lowering the level of our hydro lakes when he railed against such action and will he now dismiss out of hand the consideration of that option? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: There are several reasons one would not want to lower the lakes. I mentioned a couple of them in my answer to the previous question. I will mention a third which is that they have to be filled again in time for winter 2004. I will say this: the people of this country are entitled to expect their Government to examine all practicable options and that option will remain on the list albeit well down the list. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: If reducing minimum lake levels is well down on the list what measures are higher on the list which of those measures is the Government considering and what confidence does the Minister have that those measures will avert the need for blackouts and cold showers? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The list has been well examined by Parliament over the past several weeks. It includes of course all the demand-side things that the member himself talked about recently. It also includes switching New Plymouth to oil to ensure better supplies for Huntly and on it goes. There is a range of things that are being done or that can be done.