Labour puts energy into home warmth

Labour is promising to insulate more state houses, as part of a push to promote energy efficiency.

State houses, pensioner units, schools and rest-homes will be targeted by programmes under the party's energy policy, which was released yesterday.

A number of health reports released this year have linked poor state housing to a rise in communicable diseases such as meningitis and tuberculosis, particularly among the Pacific Island community of South Auckland.

Labour's energy spokesman, Pete Hodgson, said yesterday that greater energy efficiency would bring health, employment and environmental benefits as well as save households money.

New Zealand was one of the least energy-efficient countries in the world because of a focus on producing, rather than saving, energy. It was time for the state to show leadership.

There were 62,000 state houses and it would take time to quantify the size of the task and the cost.

Energy efficiency standards for new houses under the Building Code would also be strengthened.

Labour plans to reverse the Government's decision to close the Energy Saver Fund, a funding body for energy efficiency projects, and widen the role of its administering body, the Energy and Conservation Authority.

Mr Hodgson said extending that fund, and another existing loan scheme for energy-efficiency measures by Government organisations, would cost only "a few million here and there."

More of Housing New Zealand's $100 million maintenance budget would also be used for energy-saving measures in state houses.

Labour is also promising an inquiry into the electricity sector, with the aim of reviewing whether distribution and transmission companies should be regulated, and what barriers stand in the way of domestic retail competition.

The minister responsible for energy issues, Max Bradford, said an inquiry was a backwards leap which would place at risk the benefits of power reforms, including lower electricity prices.