The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
NZ First's Mark Patterson, the minister of rural communities, is a big supporter of farmers and a big supporter of Mike Casey's mission to make them more productive and ensure they play a bigger role in New Zealand's energy system. And in this episode of Political Power, we find out how electric his life is.
He is currently split between two places, a farm near Lawrence that is currently leased and a home in Dunedin.
They've got electric cooking and electric heating, but there's no solar yet.
"As soon as we're somewhere where we'll stay for a period of time, it will be high on the list," he says.
The family car is an MG hybrid and he also has a fully electric ministerial car, so he know what it's like to run on local electrons.
Looking ahead to 2050, he would love the energy system to "be more domestically oriented" and says "there's no doubt the electrification is the way forward, it's the future".
See the full interview and all our Political Power interviews here ⚡https://loom.ly/5l7Eons
'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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