Energy
UnitedFuture's Energy policy may be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
Security of supply and competitive pricing are UnitedFuture’s key policy goals. We support the current regulatory structure but do not want to see any further regulation of the electricity industry. Line companies should have the ability to build new generation capacity. In the interests of security of supply, we support the maintenance of reserve electricity generation capacity, such as the plant at Whirinaki. The best generation is that which is the most reliable and can be consistently delivered at the lowest cost within full compliance with New Zealand’s high environmental standards.
Electricity
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- develop a National Energy Strategy
- fund all stages of investment of significant NZ inventions of new sustainable energy forms to ensure the innovation is not lost to NZ and is implemented as soon as practicable
- invest in distributed local energy and water schemes and free regulations & rules in District Plans to permit this to happen
- support upgrading the national grid in areas where such an upgrade provides the best solution for ensuring security of supply
- convert Transpower NZ Ltd to a public utility with the sole objective of transporting power through the National Grid at the lowest possible long-term cost to the consumer
- make it easier and cheaper for micro-generators to connect directly to local electricity networks (including a requirement for lines companies and electricity retailers to trade with micro-generators at 'fair' market rates)
- encourage the development of NZ owned and operated alternative energy schemes.
Oil and Gas
UnitedFuture believes every effort should be made to encourage rapid exploration and economic exploitation of New Zealand's potential oil and gas reserves (within current environmental standards).
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- oppose levying the oil industry to build additional oil storage capacity – this is a strategic government policy and as such should be paid for by the government (it is really a “defence of the realm” issue)
- oppose a standard royalty rate on new offshore oil discoveries being fixed in advance. We believe that the general policy should be a zero royalty rate with the government reserving the right to apply a royalty, on a case-by-case basis specific to rate of any medium to large oil field discovered
Business
- Wealth Policy (PDF, 85.2 KB)
Note: PDF downloads require the free Adobe Reader application to view.