We Must Act Now On Energy Sovereignty- Every Household Is Paying The Price – Te Pati Māori

Te Pāti Māori is calling on the Government to urgently invest in Aotearoa’s energy infrastructure and is urging all parties to commit to a cross-party plan to ease the rising cost burden on households, rural communities, marae, and small businesses.

Co-Leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the current crisis has exposed how dangerously vulnerable Aotearoa is to forces beyond our control.

“Until we break our dependency on imported fossil fuels, Aotearoa will always be exposed to global wars and price shocks at the pump, at the supermarket, and in the cost of living. This is not a left or right issue, this is an Aotearoa issue.”

“We are sending around $55 million offshore every day to pay for fossil fuels. Fuel tax relief is temporary. The only way to provide permanent, urgent relief is to invest in our energy infrastructure now.”

Ngarewa-Packer says a government-backed transition is both affordable and achievable, and that the blueprint is straightforward.

“Start with a government-backed rollout to electrify our homes and communities. Deliver mass rooftop solar and battery subsidies. Pay people fairly for the power they generate. Support local and regional community microgrids in rural areas and on marae. Target the biggest energy users and align energy, transport, and housing, including EV uptake, in one national strategy.”

“If we generate our own power, back solar, batteries, and local systems at scale, we can reduce household costs, retain billions of dollars here at home, and build our own energy and economic sovereignty.”

Te Pāti Māori is calling on the Government to work across the House to deliver this transition as a matter of urgency.

“Ceasefires are fragile. Resource wars are a permanent feature of a fossil-fuelled world. We need to get out of that game, and every party in Parliament should be willing to say so.”