The front page of The Press yesterday had a photo of what it called The Three Muldoons. Minister of Housing Chris Bishop, Minister of Transport Simeon Brown and Minister of Resources Shane Jones.
Very appropriate given that Robert Muldoon was known for showing scant regard for due process and for his “Think Big” philosophy of huge infrastructure projects that saw huge energy projects such as the Upper Waitaki Power Scheme and Clyde Dam ram rodded through. I specifically use these two examples.
But before I do, I need to explain how these three Ministers are quickly earning their reputation as mini-Muldoons. Mr Bishop, who holds the Resource Management Act Reform, Infrastructure and Housing portfolio’s is perhaps the easiest one to explain, as he said to the Q+A programme on 10 March that “We are deliberately disrupting the system. The status quo is failing New Zealand”. In another interview when challenged about the bypassing of select committee hearings, he said that if people don’t like what is happening, don’t vote for them in 3 years.
And there is Shane Jones, a former Labour Party Minister who was expelled after being linked to corruption in his office. He re-entered politics on the New Zealand First ticket as a pro-industry, pro-development Minister with little time for sensitivities around Maoridom, the environment or other matters. Mr Jones has been unabashed in his support for fast tracking decisions despite the risks. He referenced the endangered Archey Frog, and said if it gets in the way of development “Goodbye Freddy”.
Simeon Brown holds the Transport portfolio. He has been recorded on social media showing a barely contained glee at upending public transport projects. Mr Brown was recently criticized investment in cycling and public transport saying that there should only be investment where there is a “clear benefit or increasing economic activity”. Mr Brown has also sought to remove any climate change related transport priorities from the draft.
The upper Waitaki Power Scheme show infrastructure projects done right can have multiple socio-economic benefits – Twizel, a hydro town that was meant to disappear, has become a mecca for boaties and people wanting to enjoy a uniquely beautiful part of the country. It serves another function too. The Maadi cup is the holy grail of high school rowing and every year that it is not held at Rotorua, hundreds of students from all over New Zealand and their support crews descend on Twizel. It was made possible by Max Smith, a Muldoon-era cabinet Minister went ahead with a rowing course that was not signed off.
But not only that, it was environmentally responsible in ways not originally realized. Whilst many might argue that too much water is being held behind the dams of the U.W.P.S., it is true that some compromises were reached. Originally a dam was going to be built across the Ohau River at Lake Ohau, but an outcry was raised and a compromise overflow weir with a syphon that puts 12m3/s into the river, was constructed instead. The canals that transport the water away from the various power stations on the way to lake Benmore were also built to blend in with the landscape.
On the other hand, there is Clyde Dam. Right from the start this was a case of government bungling, agendas and arrogance. The original plan was for a 648 megawatt power station just upstream from Clyde. It was poorly thought out in several respects:
- Numerous large ancient landslides rest precariously on the hills above what is now Lake Dunstan – at the time the Muldoon Government was advised by engineering geologists that they had concerns about them, which were ignored
- A fault line goes under the dam between the spillway and power station
- Much of the town of Cromwell was going to be flooded when Lake Dunstan was filled
- State Highway 8 had to be partially reconstructed because a significant section of it, as well as the bridge across the Clutha River near the Kawarau River confluence, was going to be submerged
To address the landslides, hundreds of tunnels were bored into them so that when it rains, the water seeping in will not destabilize the landslides. A slip joint had to be constructed, allowing the dam to move in different directions by 1-2 metres, which required significant redesign of the dam and a reduction in capacity.
It wasn’t just environmental and planning concerns that were raised. There were numerous strikes whilst the dam was being built, including one lasting 17 weeks. The cost of it blew out from $400m which would have been quite respectable if it had been achieved, to $1.7b by the time it started generating power in 1993.
The three Muldoons is appropriate because as mentioned, Mr Muldoon and his Cabinet had little regard for due process. The recently passed stream lining legislation that is meant to enable quicker consenting of major developments, bypasses the Resource Management Act, and a host of other Acts, all of which are crucial for checking that such monstrosities as the flaws that occurred during construction of Clyde Dam are avoided in the future.
Clyde Dam now contributes substantially to the grid, but it’s huge cost blowout put unnecessary strain on the Government finances. Most of which would have been avoided if due process had been followed.
The same due processes that the Three Muldoons seek to undermine.
Leftist Kiwi Writes 