Greens 'stunned' by Nats' insulation stance

Nick Smith used to have real aspirations about the enviroment. Now he has just thrown in the sponge against repeated attacks from within his own party. As an ex National Party member, I say shame.

The Green Party and Labour have not been honest with the New Zealand Public over the Insulation Policy at all. These two political parties have income tested the Insulation Programme in that unless you have a Community Services Card you wont be able to qualify for Insulation in your house from your own income taxation contributions. Helen Clark and Jeanette Fitzsimons can put it over the people in N.Z. big time and they love it! We all will be paying another $52.00 dollars per week once Labour and Green Party Emmissions Taxation Scam is imposed if they are re elected. Clearly Kiwis like having thier pockets tickled up all the time.The age Pension will be income taxed if Labour and Greens get back and a Capital Gains Tax on your own home is just aropund the corner as the Greens have done a deal pre Election with Labour to that effect. Wake up Nz but I fear it is nine years too late.

@ Barb #2

This incredible selfishness I hear from a segment of New Zealanders (always self referring as 'middle') such as yourself saddens me. It wasn't prominent when I left NZ 10 years ago, but coming back recently seems to have gained a foothold.

Jealousy of those less fortunate than oneself is bizarre to start with, you should feel good that you can afford to insulate your own home, and feel good that the state will help those who cannot for the benefit of ALL of us New Zealanders.

We used to be a compassionate nation - I believe that most of us still are.

This is just good policy, there is no reason that the taxpayer should be burdaned with insulating peoples houses. They can borrow to do it, if the figures are as good as they claim then the payback will be quick.

The thing is, old houses dont need just insulation, they need a hell of a lot more done to them to make them air-tight. Putting insulation into an old villa is futile when there are massive gaps, no nogs in the walls to stop updraughts and usually no viable means of heating it other then portable electric or poisonous LPG cabinet heaters.

The right approach is to demolish these old crapheaps and build new, sustainable housing rather then to try to patch up something that was never built with warmth in mind.

This policy of Labours is rubbish. I have an uninsulated house, yet I earn $150 over the threshold. I can't afford to insulate my house.

Labour has never been interested in the honest, hardworking, middle class.

The emissions trading scheme is a farce that will drive up costs for no real benefit to the environment. a population of 4mill on an isoplated south pacific island is never going to be anything other than an example to the real influencers. I have have to ask can we afford it? Goverenmant doesn't have any money, it can only take it from THOSE OF US WHO WORK AND PAY TAX!. and I for one have had enough of watching my hard earned money dissapear in tax and get wasted for no real benefit.

Haha, wouldn't it be a bugger if you got MS, and had to survive on the sickness benefit. Perhaps your perception of poor people (or those on or below the average wage) being lazy may change when you realise that the sickness benefit (even if you have 3 kids) falls well short of the average workers wage (around $45k). Even short of the median workers wage (around $34k) if you do have 3 kids and a wife/partner you'll be lucky to get $25k in the pocket a year.

One can only hope that it does note take such an unfortunate occurance to temper that smuggness from your face. *shakes head sadly*

Within this article it's said: '"The Government had investigated how quickly it could get electric cars in New Zealand and the best case estimates were 5 perc ent of the fleet by 2020.

"They will be new cars, they will be expensive cars and will only be afforded by those on high incomes."'

The quote might be accurate, but this information is surely nonsense.

Anyone who's seen the movie Who Killed the Electric Car? or who has looked into the possibility of electric cars at all knows that the only thing keeping perfect electric cars off the roads IMMEDIATELY, and CHEAPLY, is industry - the car industry in cahoots with the oil industry - and government lackies without the guts to challenge them directly.

Within this article it's said: '"The Government had investigated how quickly it could get electric cars in New Zealand and the best case estimates were 5 perc ent of the fleet by 2020.

"They will be new cars, they will be expensive cars and will only be afforded by those on high incomes."'

The quote might be accurate, but this information is surely nonsense.

Anyone who's seen the movie Who Killed the Electric Car? or who has looked into the possibility of electric cars at all knows that the only thing keeping perfect electric cars off the roads IMMEDIATELY, and CHEAPLY, is industry - the car industry in cahoots with the oil industry - and government lackies without the guts to challenge them directly.

it always amazes me how people are happy to be taxed and taxed and taxed and then our nanny state government (gives) back our own money. We are in a recession (which this government denied existed until recently) and therefore there is no money to spare because this Government spent all the surpluses, instead of matching long term funding with long term investment. If the Government did not collect huge dividends from the SOE electric companies, there would not be a need for the 50%+ increase in power prices over the last 9 years, more money in our pockets to insulate our homes. If you treat people like idiots ( as this Govt does by saying we cannot manage our own lives) then thats how they react. Get rid of this Govt and tone down this stupid piece of legislation before we bankrupt the country