MEDIAWATCH: Why Hooton’s Mad Max apocalypse is far more likely than you think it is
Hooton is writing some of the best columns of his career and his latest on how woeful National’s response to the enormity of what could happen if the illegal war on Iran isn’t resolved…
Diesel shortage: Why our ‘benign’ isolation is now a brutal risk – Matthew Hooton
Thought Covid was bad? If New Zealand runs out of diesel, Covid will look like the rehearsal. The effects on the economy, social cohesion, law and order and even life expectancy would be worse.
Still sceptical? During Covid, we may have had to queue up at supermarkets, wear masks and keep our distance to buy food. But there was never any threat to delivery trucks being able to supply the supermarkets, harvesters to pick fruit and vegetables, stock trucks to pick up cattle and sheep, tankers to collect milk or fishing boats to head out to sea.
Nor were ambulances or fire engines ever unable to operate.
All that basic activity is now at risk of ceasing within weeks. Greater urgency is needed from Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ crisis-response team and a more constructive offering of alternative ideas from Chris Hipkins’ Opposition.
NZ Herald
…he’s right.
This is a far bigger threat to us than Covid and the Government’s response is dangerously underwhelming…
Far from being “incredibly well positioned”, we are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of the current crisis, except for the Gulf states and Israel, directly engaged in hostilities.
The Taxpayers’ Union’s excellent new FuelClock.nz brings together all the relevant Government data, plus information from the private sector and abroad.
The exact supply situation is disputed. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) was forced to admit yesterday that it may have been confused by ships being discharged in port. In contrast, the union yesterday afternoon stood by its FuelClock.nz that indicated New Zealand had just 14 days’ supply of diesel onshore, plus another seven days confirmed as on its way.
This differs from MBIE’s estimates, which include vessels that haven’t yet been confirmed by automatic identification system (AIS) tracking – in other words, are only likely or scheduled.
As with the Covid vaccine, frantic efforts are underway to secure more diesel, but if they are unsuccessful, FuelClock.nz suggests that New Zealand could run out of diesel on April 16 under business-as-usual. Even with an emergency lockdown, it suggested diesel stocks might run dry as early as the end of next month.
… to date everyone seems to have horrifically underestimated how long this is going to be.
For almost 40 years, Netenyahu has been claiming Iran is mere moments away from building a nuclear bomb requiring the West to attack Iran.
He claimed this in a Knesset speech in 1992.
He claimed it in a book in 1995.
He claimed it in a US Congress speech in 1996
He claimed it in a congressional delegation in 2009
He claimed it at the UN General Assembly in 2012
He claimed it in a 2015 speech to the US Congress
He claimed it again in 2018
And he claimed it last year in numerous 2025 media interviews.
There is no intelligence whatsoever that the bloody Iranians were about to build a nuclear weapon.
No American Administration over those 40 years were stupid enough to get conned into a war with Iran because every single time their CIA Geeks and Military Goons war game out a fight, it always ends in a blood bath massacre with regional wars, an Iranian Civil war, a couple of American capital ships sunk, Global energy prices exploding and a Refugee crisis that swamps Turkey.
The greatest danger from Trump illegally kidnapping the Venezuelan President and annexing their oil was the self belief that he could get away with ignoring the rules based order.
Trump has horribly miscalculated that Iranian Religious Zealots could be as bullied and bribed as a corrupt revolutionary government.
They are a Theocracy who welcome death, you can’t bribe or threaten them the way you could with a corrupt Venezuelan regime.
Trump and Bibi killed the new Ayatollah’s Dad, Brother and Wife, he wants revenge and the pound of flesh he will demand is $200 a barrel oil.
In his impatience and haste to bully Venezuela, Iran and Cuba into symbolic capituation, so he could hold their scalps up in time for the Opening of the Soccer World Cup before the Midterms, Trump has blundered into an Iranian trap that ratchets up everytime he thrashes around.
The Iranians intend for this war to last 6 months, we are due to run out of Diesel by April 16th.
Which is the same time when many military analysts believe Israel and America will run out of interceptor missiles.
To paraphrase 1990s supergroup, Destiny’s Child –
“I do not believe we are ready for this jelly”.
Hooton’s Mad Max apocalypse, especially under this inept CoC, is scary but thanks both of you for your honesty. When you talk with family and friends you realise just how few of them really comprehend what the worst case scenarios would be. I would encourage folk to keep some cash, keep their tanks full, store long-term food and water and “hope”! The only way this madness can go away is for Trump to be jailed or put into a mental asylum, while Netanyahu needs to ‘go’ permanently. Only then can we all return to something resembling ‘normal’.