Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:627;Page:21750] 
8.  
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy 
: Has he received any reports indicating that the future cost of energy is set to increase; if so what does he believe to be the causes of any such increase? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Energy) 
: 
 Yes. With the Maui gasfield depleting we are losing a major source of cheap energy. We need to look for new sources. Some of those will be more expensive. 
Peter Brown 
: Does the Minister accept that if the Waitaki water allocation scheme goes ahead there will be major increases in electricity costs; and will he tell the House specifically how he intends to replace the electricity lost if that scheme goes ahead? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I just want to move slightly to the left as I answer this question. I think the provisional water allocation for the Waitaki is not good and that is why the Government— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: You set it up. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The member should just take his medication. He should listen for a second. It is a serious issue. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Members should settle please. Interjections do get responses that are not appropriate. Would the Minister please continue. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: As I was saying to the member I think it is particularly important for the Government to be heard in the submissions as far as the Waitaki is concerned because I think it would be very serious for the country if the proposal was allowed to proceed. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. You sort of ruled on the offence that was taken there. I ask you to think again about how that answer from the same Minister complies with Standing Order 370(2)(c). It sits well outside the Standing Order by any manner of reason at all. It is this Minister who habitually offends and causes the most disorder in the House. No sort of offensive comment was made to him but he seems to think that that is the best way to reply. That may reflect the pressure that he and the rest of the Government are under at the present time but if we could have a considered ruling from you now that there have been two clear breaches of that Standing Order it would be helpful. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: The National Party whenever it loses in the debate tries to take a point of order to cover up its embarrassment. The fact is that the member who asked the question asked it in two separate parts. There is no requirement to answer both parts of the question. The Minister clearly answered the first part of the question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is correct. The Minister did address that part of the question. 
Peter Brown 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I did ask a very serious question. I accept Dr Cullen’s acknowledgment that I asked it in two parts but the serious part is the question about what will replace the electricity that will be lost. That is a question that I think the Minister should give us some indication about. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Does the member want to ask another supplementary question? 
Peter Brown 
: In due course I do. 
Mark Peck 
: What steps has the Government taken to lower the cost of electricity for low-volume users such as pensioners? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: All power networks have been required to offer a fixed daily charge option. Lower power users are now saving up to $96 per year on their electricity bill thanks to the policy. I am advised that 30 percent of electricity users have taken it up and are getting cheaper power because of it. I suggest that everybody who is below average in their use of power should check whether they can switch. 
Peter Brown 
: Does the Minister accept that we need more electricity energy in this country and is he aware that Australia generates 78 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power stations—and indeed is building more coal-fired power stations; if he accepts that how does he think it makes good sense to impose a carbon tax on us when we produce only 8 percent of our electricity from coal-fired power stations? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Yes yes yes and I refer the member to questions Nos 1 and 3. 
Phil Heatley 
: What is the estimated cost on a per household basis of any increases in the cost of petrol electricity or gas that will be required as a result of the bungle by his colleague the Convenor Ministerial Group on Climate Change in the assessment of New Zealand’s carbon credit position under the Kyoto Protocol? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: If one wants to really take that question literally none. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Has the Minister seen that today’s international price of Brent crude oil which at just under $59 a barrel and tipped to go over $60 a barrel soon is the highest it has been since 1979 in real terms and is five times what it was just 8 years ago; does not Kyoto and the costs of Kyoto pale into insignificance alongside the effect of oil depletion known as peak oil on international oil prices? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: That was a bit of a stretch from the original question but no and yes.