Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3436] 
12.  
DAVID CUNLIFFE (NZ Labour—New Lynn) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy 
: Why has the Government announced changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 to give greater weight to the national benefits of renewable energy? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Energy) 
: 
 Developing renewable energy is the most sustainable way to meet New Zealand’s future energy needs. Perversely however it can be more difficult to obtain a resource consent for a renewable energy project than for a fossil fuel burning plant. A wind farm for example is likely to occupy more land than a thermal power station. The proposed amendment to the Resource Management Act will add renewable energy to the list of matters to be considered when consent decisions are made. This will give clearer guidance to commissioners on the national importance of renewable energy which will be balanced by the many other considerations relevant to their decision. 
David Cunliffe 
: What advice does he have on the potential for developing new sources of renewable energy in New Zealand? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: A substantial analysis done for the Ministry of Economic Development last year confirmed that New Zealand has very significant opportunities for renewable energy development. The resources include hydro and wind power geothermal energy bioenergy from sources such as wood waste and landfill gas and solar energy. The analysis indicates that over the next 20 years almost all new electricity generation is likely to be renewable at a cost of a little over 6c a unit. This suggests that the Government’s renewable energy target of an extra 30 petajoules a year by 2012 while challenging is within reach. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Noting that the Minister has now described hydro capacity as being part of the renewable energy definition I ask whether he can give us an undertaking that the resource management changes will assist in the process of consenting Project Aqua on the Waitaki and can he further give us some assurance that the Government will look at changes to the Conservation Act to make projects like the Kotuku scheme at Dobson also possible? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: In respect of Project Aqua I do not think I can give the member the assurance because I am not at all sure that the Project Aqua consent applications will not be put in ahead of the law being passed. It is my hope that the law will move into the statute book this calendar year but I rather suspect that Project Aqua may well be jumping the gun. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: That is an extraordinary answer and I seek the leave of the House to ask one further question of the Minister at this point. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not want to comment about the quality of the answer but the member is perfectly entitled to ask for leave. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: How will greater weight given to renewable energy under the Resource Management Act assist this country’s looming energy crisis when much needed new generation proposals such as Pohokura gas and the Arnold River hydro at Dobson are delayed and frustrated by the same Resource Management Act together with Government bureaucracy—and the Minister has just conceded that this will make it harder to get new projects through the Resource Management Act. How on earth is that going to overcome the crisis that is looming? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I seem to not have given an adequate explanation. The idea of the legislation change that I announced on Tuesday was to make it easier for renewable projects which typically have a larger footprint than non-renewable to get consents. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Existing ones can’t. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The member said “Existing ones can’t.” For example Pohokura is consented. For example the combined cycle gas turbine at Huntly is consented. These are not issues. The member would like them to be issues but they are not. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: They’re under appeal. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Of course they are under appeal. Most significant consents are under appeal. Most appeals are heard in a timely manner and many appeals are declined or modified slightly. However Gerry Brownlee’s comment that I gave a remarkable answer means that he has remarkably unclean ears. Let me do it again very straightforwardly— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the Minister’s answer is already far too long. That comment was out of order. He will stand withdraw and apologise. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Gordon Copeland 
: Will the measures the Minister has now taken answer the basic question that New Zealand businesses want assurances on—that is will there be an uninterrupted supply of electricity to satisfy demand at reasonable prices over the next 2 or 3 years and on into the future? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: It is one of dozens of things the Government is doing to lead us towards exactly that future. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: In view of the need to develop renewable energy somewhat faster than we thought because of the somewhat speedier depletion of Maui does the Minister think that this measure along with the project finance scheme will be sufficient or do we need more national-level measures to encourage renewable energy developments? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: There is the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy; there is the work out of the Kyoto Protocol that the member refers to in the projects part thereof; there is the possibility of joint initiatives or other trading systems arising out of the Kyoto Protocol especially as we approach 2008; and there is the change that this question is about. Together they start to change the policy direction of this country somewhat.