Former prime minister Sir John Key, rather showing his vintage, once told Parliament the economy was like a waterbed. You press on it here, he said, and it only bulges out somewhere over there.
As an economic primer, it wasn't bad. Governments can never change anything without a knock-on effect somewhere else. On the Key waterbedometer, New Zealand's climate change policies are proving to be the mattress from hell. Two core measures intended to reduce our net greenhouse gas emissions already look highly likely to result in even greater gas output.
One is the wholesome sounding Reshaping Streets proposal, under which the government will empower local councils to experiment at will with "traffic-calming".
This reads like a goodie-two-shoes charter, with ideas like blanket speed reductions, parking restrictions near schools to discourage vehicular drop-offs, and new swathes of pedestrian and cycle-only streetscapes. The laudable idea is to make it less convenient to drive, so people walk, bike or take public transport more often.
Alas, there's an inconvenient factoid. More than 90% of this country's freight increasingly is delivered by trucks. It's not feasible to distribute container-loads of goods on foot or by bus, or by wagons hitched to multiple tandem bicycles. Slow trucks down, make them drive more circuitous routes or force them to idle longer in "calmed" traffic and they will emit more carbon - rather more than that apt to be saved by inconvenienced householders leaving the car at home more often.
The policy could also be tank fuel to the untameable inflation beast, newly measured at 7.2%. Never mind Key's waterbed motif, with petrol and diesel reaching new price peaks and a shortage of truck drivers ratcheting up wages, this scenario has the makings of a James and the Giant Peach scenario.
Denne historien er fra November 05, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra November 05, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.