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R to @ClintVSmith: the other issue is the cost. $1.77b. That's $80m a year in interest. For 7m vehicles a year to save 2.5 minutes each. That's $11 per trip and a time value of a massive $268 per vehicle/hr saved. We need to be assessing rail and shipping projects on equal footing with road

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2065235782449971395#m

Published: June 12, 2026 00:52

the other issue is the cost. $1.77b. That's $80m a year in interest. For 7m vehicles a year to save 2.5 minutes each. That's $11 per trip and a time value of a massive $268 per vehicle/hr saved. We need to be assessing rail and shipping projects on equal…

mad to toll this road. It's only 20K vehicles a day & only saving them 2-2.5 minutes on average How much would you pay to save 2 minutes: 50c? $1? Well, collecting the toll costs 80c per vehicle in Tauranga So, govt makes peanuts & people avoid the road, lessening its utility

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2065235779560030220#m

Published: June 12, 2026 00:52

mad to toll this road. It's only 20K vehicles a day & only saving them 2-2.5 minutes on average How much would you pay to save 2 minutes: 50c? $1? Well, collecting the toll costs 80c per vehicle in Tauranga So, govt makes peanuts & people avoid the…

taking the train isn't going to give you Ebola, my man

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064610278055219252#m

Published: June 10, 2026 07:27

taking the train isn't going to give you Ebola, my man Alan Jowitt (@alan_jowitt2) Does the safety calculation include the rates of disease transmission on public transport? The Labour Party continues its thrust to shoehorn the population into PT…

the decrease in NZ's overall safety rating (which, again, is still very safe) is driven by a worsening of the Societal Safety and Security (crime, etc) score from 1.421 in 2025 to 1.497 in 2026, slipping in ranking from 9th to 14th.

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064593605722083430#m

Published: June 10, 2026 06:20

the decrease in NZ's overall safety rating (which, again, is still very safe) is driven by a worsening of the Societal Safety and Security (crime, etc) score from 1.421 in 2025 to 1.497 in 2026, slipping in ranking from 9th to 14th. Clint Smith…

when you look at why NZ does well in the Peace Index, it's not because of low crime The Index covers all types of violence. NZ is 14th on 'Societal Safety & Security' (which includes crime) It's a very good score on Domestic & International Conflict that gets us to 2nd overall

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064591514819563673#m

Published: June 10, 2026 06:12

when you look at why NZ does well in the Peace Index, it's not because of low crime The Index covers all types of violence. NZ is 14th on 'Societal Safety & Security' (which includes crime) It's a very good score on Domestic & International Conflict…

as with fees free, I would see this more as a cost of living policy than a bums in seats one. the cap will save families a lot of money, while also encouraging some people to start using the train or bus.

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064588445759189126#m

Published: June 10, 2026 06:00

as with fees free, I would see this more as a cost of living policy than a bums in seats one. the cap will save families a lot of money, while also encouraging some people to start using the train or bus. henry cooke (@henrycooke) their modelling is…

New Zealand is consistently ranked one of the safest countries The Global Peace Index rates countries 1(safe) to 5(v dangerous). NZ averaged 1.254 from 2010 to 2026 2026 is our worst ever result: 1.343. but still very safe & 2nd overall, as other countries' safety also worsened

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064587787811352930#m

Published: June 10, 2026 05:57

New Zealand is consistently ranked one of the safest countries The Global Peace Index rates countries 1(safe) to 5(v dangerous). NZ averaged 1.254 from 2010 to 2026 2026 is our worst ever result: 1.343. but still very safe & 2nd overall, as other…

confusing argument? We should income test super to encourage more 65+ people out of the job market? The stats show 65+ workers are often in high skill positions. Income testing is effectively a higher marginal tax on some of our top of field doctors, scientists, principals, etc

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064489359852925019#m

Published: June 9, 2026 23:26

confusing argument? We should income test super to encourage more 65+ people out of the job market? The stats show 65+ workers are often in high skill positions. Income testing is effectively a higher marginal tax on some of our top of field doctors,…

makes a lot of sense. Fuel costs are smashing families. So tackle the cost of living by getting people on to public transport and reduce fuel demand at the same time.

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064484971843400178#m

Published: June 9, 2026 23:09

makes a lot of sense. Fuel costs are smashing families. So tackle the cost of living by getting people on to public transport and reduce fuel demand at the same time. henry cooke (@henrycooke) INBOX: Labour's first policy of 2026 is a public transport…

R to @ClintVSmith: gah.. should read GWh not TWh. work with these numbers all the time and it's still possible to slip into the wrong magnitude

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064423053891915984#m

Published: June 9, 2026 19:03

gah.. should read GWh not TWh. work with these numbers all the time and it's still possible to slip into the wrong magnitude

The fuel crisis is costing $100-$150m a week. we need to get more efficient with fuel use Shifting freight from road to rail & coastal shipping is a very effective option. My recent paper estimates up to $350m a year in diesel (16 days worth) can be saved https://munz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/MUNZ-Fuel-Security-Report.pdf

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064156614819786775#m

Published: June 9, 2026 01:24

The fuel crisis is costing $100-$150m a week. we need to get more efficient with fuel use Shifting freight from road to rail & coastal shipping is a very effective option. My recent paper estimates up to $350m a year in diesel (16 days worth) can be saved…

R to @ClintVSmith: Don't want to just rely on solar keeping the hydro lakes full? Replace some old hot water systems as well. These use 13% of electricity & 8% of gas and are most heavily used in winter Replacing them with 3x more efficient hot water heat pumps lowers cost of living & saves power

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064110114823639065#m

Published: June 8, 2026 22:19

Don't want to just rely on solar keeping the hydro lakes full? Replace some old hot water systems as well. These use 13% of electricity & 8% of gas and are most heavily used in winter Replacing them with 3x more efficient hot water heat pumps lowers cost…

R to @ClintVSmith: Here's some analysis on this I did earlier. https://nzgbc.org.nz/hubfs/NZGBC%20-%20LNG%20Response%20Document_%20FINAL.pdf?hsLang=en

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064110116958560675#m

Published: June 8, 2026 22:19

Here's some analysis on this I did earlier. nzgbc.org.nz/hubfs/NZGBC%20-…

It's claimed renewables can't provide the 1500TWh of winter power LNG would provide in dry year they can. In a dry year, there's space in the hydrolakes (that's the problem!). In 2024, lakes had 2250TWh empty Build more solar, use less hydro, keep the lakes full for winter

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064110109622755791#m

Published: June 8, 2026 22:19

It's claimed renewables can't provide the 1500TWh of winter power LNG would provide in dry year they can. In a dry year, there's space in the hydrolakes (that's the problem!). In 2024, lakes had 2250TWh empty Build more solar, use less hydro, keep the…

R to @ClintVSmith: This works out far cheaper than LNG The cost of the LNG terminal alone (without actually importing any LNG) will be near $3b over 15 years. You can import more than enough solar panels to generate the needed power with the money and avoid the billions the actual LNG would cost

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064110111917039680#m

Published: June 8, 2026 22:19

This works out far cheaper than LNG The cost of the LNG terminal alone (without actually importing any LNG) will be near $3b over 15 years. You can import more than enough solar panels to generate the needed power with the money and avoid the billions the…

R to @ClintVSmith: Point of gas levy was to separate the cost of the terminal from the cost of the fuel. terminal cost spread over all electricity & just the fuel contributing to the marginal cost of burning LNG for power otherwise LNG would only work with spot prices at $300-$500MWh (3x normal)

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064100473234481442#m

Published: June 8, 2026 21:41

Point of gas levy was to separate the cost of the terminal from the cost of the fuel. terminal cost spread over all electricity & just the fuel contributing to the marginal cost of burning LNG for power otherwise LNG would only work with spot prices at…

So, the LNG terminal won't be funded by a levy but the suggestion is still that the power companies (who say LNG isn't needed) will pay? Surely that flows through to electricity prices, just like the levy would - but maybe less politically on the nose.

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2064100471229550858#m

Published: June 8, 2026 21:41

So, the LNG terminal won't be funded by a levy but the suggestion is still that the power companies (who say LNG isn't needed) will pay? Surely that flows through to electricity prices, just like the levy would - but maybe less politically on the nose.

I can't recall a Budget ever having money allocated to an unspecified policy before. & for something that may not be needed? between this & the $450m for energy crisis response, parties have a warchest for cost of living/energy policies at the election https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/budget-2026-labour-fumes-as-government-secretly-spends-1b-from-next-years-budget/premium/TYUPVCNTPNGPFIA7BQD2RSUK7M/

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2063702011422679299#m

Published: June 7, 2026 19:17

I can't recall a Budget ever having money allocated to an unspecified policy before. & for something that may not be needed? between this & the $450m for energy crisis response, parties have a warchest for cost of living/energy policies at the election…

these have the Parliamentary crest on them, which must: only used on non political public notices, be paid for out of MPs Parliamentary budget, have Parliamentary Service approval, declare that funding & not be electoral So, interesting to know if this was paid for by PS

https://nitter.poast.org/ClintVSmith/status/2063199582306369989#m

Published: June 6, 2026 10:01

these have the Parliamentary crest on them, which must: only used on non political public notices, be paid for out of MPs Parliamentary budget, have Parliamentary Service approval, declare that funding & not be electoral So, interesting to know if this…