Andrew Dickens: Someone has to point out the obvious now and then

Andrew Dickens Afternoons

I was going to start my programme today with some thoughts about the energy crisis, but something else has popped up.

But I will share with you some fun facts:

Did you know that New Zealand uses the same amount of electricity in 2024 as we did in 2004?

Even though our economic activity and population have grown immensely in the past 20 years. What happened is that we, as consumers, became more efficient with our electricity use. We started using LEDs, we started saving, we started being more careful with our use.

So the energy crunch is because we're not making as much electricity as we used to - even though we've been saving electricity ourselves

Meanwhile, did you also know that there are currently 22 renewable electricity projects fully consented but not started by the gentailers?

So sure, blame the oil and gas exploration ban and that will result in an energy crunch in 10 years.

But today's energy crisis is because the generators, who are also the retailers, have not ensured supply despite having it all available to them for years now.

I've got more on that - but right now, I have to mention outgoing Treasury head Caralee McLiesh who's leaving for a job as Australia's auditor-general.

In her exit interview she said the New Zealand Government needs to make more revenue. And the only way a Government makes more money is more taxes. She'd like to see a capital gains tax

She's like to see a capital gains tax - and she says the Government needs to save more in the big expensive items. She mentions super. She'd like to see the age limit raised.

Now, Caralee is not some crazy ideological lefty who wants to see the old and rich punished.

She's pointing out the bleeding obvious. We are structurally bad. Economists have been saying this for generations. We don't tax enough. When we tax, we tax the wrong people. We don't spend enough and when we do, we do it cheap and too late and then complain when it all starts to fall apart.

Faced with all this economic reality, the current Government decided to reduce its revenue to help some taxpayers and landlords. That's the exact opposite of what the problem needs.

And then to make things worse, they've stopped spending. And we end up with a country where pregnant Mums can't have toast, Nelson can't get a new hospital building, we run ferries that should be in museums, we run out of power and water, and then we moan we're becoming a third world country and it's all Labour's fault.

Someone has to point out the bleeding obvious now and then. I'm pretty sure nothing will happen on Caralee McLeish's advice because to change our structure would be too expensive politically. No turkey votes for Christmas.

So before you moan again about how useless this country is, remember it's the country you voted for.

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