Idiot/Savant
On NRT: The right solution for the wrong problem - https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-right-solution-for-wrong-problem.html
The right solution for the wrong problem

The regime has been taking a bit of stick about its "policy" of 10,000 new EV chargers , which seemed to have no tracking and no actual mea...

Mar 23 at 5:24amWeb
Show threadStrypey5d ago

"... a loan from the government is just creating a pair of matching asset and debt entries in the government books, and costs nothing."

@norightturnnz, 2026

https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-right-solution-for-wrong-problem.html

Which is why governments ought to hand out loans like candy to anyone with a realistic proposal to build something socially useful, which can't be removed from Aotearoa once its built. Anything from electric rail and shipping infrastructure, to social housing providers in areas short on affordable housing.

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The right solution for the wrong problem

The regime has been taking a bit of stick about its "policy" of 10,000 new EV chargers , which seemed to have no tracking and no actual mea...

Show threadStrypey5d ago

Instead of handing out public subsidies to offshore-owned corporations as if they're cars on the Oprah show (you get a subsidy, and you get a subsidy, every corporation gets a subsidy!). Creating a public debt future generations have to service, while often creating nothing socially useful at all;

https://www.democracyproject.org.nz/p/rio-tinto-nz-aluminium-smelter

The NatACTs are the worst for this, but Labour are hardly immune. They gave Rio Tinto free public money to keep the aluminum smelter open too;

https://www.interest.co.nz/business/107254/labour-aims-three-five-year-extension-life-southland-smelter-including-supporting

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Rio Tinto NZ Aluminium Smelter

1.

The Democracy Project
Show threadStrypey5d ago

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This might be one of those rare occasions though where I disagree with @norightturnnz and agree with the NatACTs (*shudder*). I accept that the Clean Car Discount (CCD) was the best policy, when evaluated against the criteria used in their piece. But here's a few things I think that analysis misses;

Show threadStrypey5d ago

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1) The CCD was a subsidy for private vehicles. 80% loans for buying EVs would make more sense, for all the reasons given in the piece.

2) The charger network policy is a subsidy for common infrastructure, owned by 51% public-owned energy companies. Which in a sensible world, a future green-left government will split into 100% public-owned generation/ charging utilities, and companies owning the retail etc, which the 49% non-public shareholders can have their shares in (maybe, I guess).

Show threadStrypey5d ago

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3) Home charging is a great solution when using EVs for commuting. As is charging points at where they're commuting to, the likelihood of which could be boosted with these subsidies

4) Range anxiety is still an issue for leaving the beaten track around the major cities, and driving EVs in most of the country. The current charging network;

https://www.plugshare.com/map/new-zealand

... wouldn't cope with the 10-fold or more increase in rural EV use we might hope for. Are subsidies targeted there though? 🤷‍♂️

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