Attacking public transport subsidies during oil crisis misunderstand how bad Trump has blundered
As the Iran conflict drives a global oil shock, New Zealand is staring down a potential fuel crisis. The debate over free public transport misses a far more urgent reality — supply itself may soon run short.
I was watching TVNZ Breakfast this morning and they were discussing what possible solutions can be looked at as the illegal war in Iran ramps up and Kiwis, who let’s be honest, we’re already doing it tough, are now getting crippled by these fuel increases.
Why Free Public Transport Is Being Proposed
One of the immediate solutions is making public transport free and that was met by a lot of complaints from those New Zealanders living in provincial and rural NZ who have no public transport at all.
Why The Scale Of The Crisis Is Being Underestimated
I think those complaints misunderstand how bad Trump has blundered.
Let me explain.
The Reality Behind New Zealand’s Fuel Supply
The Government are telling you that we have seven weeks worth of fuel left, what they are failing to tell you is that at least three weeks of that are Tankers destined to come here, but those Tankers can be diverted elsewhere before they arrive.
The reality that no one is explaining to Kiwis is that Trump has blundered so horrifically here, that we are literally going to be down to rationing and that means taking the tax off petrol is the last thing we can do, because we are going to have to stretch that ‘seven weeks’ out for as long as we can.
What Emergency Measures Could Look Like
That means:
- Work from home mandates
- Free public transport
- Lowering the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h
We need those now to conserve what we have left before the panic buying kicks in as Kiwis suddenly realise this isn’t going to end any time soon.
How The Iran Conflict Is Driving The Oil Shock
Trump has made the worst geopolitical blunder since America entered Vietnam, his threats to destroy Iranian oil infrastructure will be met with Iran destroying Gulf oil infrastructure.
Even if this ended now, even if peace was declared today, it would still take eight weeks before new oil supply came back online, we only have seven weeks, are you getting the picture yet?
Trump has launched a catastrophic event he no longer has any control of.
Why New Zealand Isn’t Prepared For What’s Coming
I don’t think people are comprehending that yet.
If this crisis unfolds the way current signals suggest, the debate won’t be about the cost of fuel — it will be about access to it. The sooner we accept that reality, the sooner we can act to manage it.
The clean car discount was funded by a levy on more polluting vehicles such as the Ford Ranger : taxpayers were never subsidising EV purchasers.
This government clearly does not have a sensible energy plan at all.
Best managers of our economy? I think not.
Why are so many people so damned “Mean”? They chose to live in a rural area, unsupported by public transport! To begrudge those who chose to live closer to cities/jobs etc. shows how bitter and twisted they really are. Step up you horrible lot. No one foresaw the lunacy of Trump – we are all victims in the end. As for our Trump supporting CoC, let’s not feel sorry for them. They have brought it on themselves with their spite and the cancellation of everything good that the Left installed which would have been a God-send to them now. Bet they still don’t get it! Again, you reap what you sow!
It is not rural people being mean, it is just a perception that the regions are underfunded and ignored. Although I live in a rural area I, personally, support more investment in urban areas, to encourage more people to live there. That not only helps the environment, with fewer car trips etc, but stops the countryside getting filled up with commuters to the cities.
In addition, rougher rural roads make people drive more slowly, cutting fuel use, and also making the roads safer for cyclists like myself.
Why spend money unnecessarily on subsidies for public transport when people are flocking to it anyway .Just like EV subsidies. People are now buying them willingly without government intervention.
Oh FFS Trevor, one minute your pro petrol, now pro EV. Typical of how the right can turn on a dime because they only react. Labour and the Greens were proactive with EVs and of course the right screamed blue murder. Now they are reacting to the fact that fuel will never be finite. Then again National have always lived in the 80s.
I am not pro EV I am pro choice . Most of my wealthy friends have EV cars but they would have been able to buy them on their own .The subsidiary
was a nice bonus. Thank goodness there is plenty of oil in the ground so do not worry about supply . It is needed for so many things beside powering cars it is vital we can get it out of tye ground and moved around the World
Trevor, you could apply your exact same argument to the logic of those tax cuts for corporate landlords and tobacco companies.
Borrowing to fund tax breaks for the already wealthy (and sorted) is very different to subsidising EVs or public transport.
The EV subsidy was funded by a levy on polluting vehicles such as the Ford Ranger.