Shane Jones realises he does support Labour's energy policy
Controversial front bench MP has undergone a Mighty River attitude adjustment.
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Labour’s Shane Jones says he now fully supports his party’s energy policy despite earlier saying he had reservations.
Shane Jones appeared on TVNZ’s Q+A programme today where he told Deputy Political Editor Jessica Mutch that he is 100 per cent comfortable with Labour and the Green’s joint energy policy.
“Yeah, most certainly. I think it will create jobs, and I think people need to see the rhetoric coming from the merchant banking community, who are proxies for the government, for what it is. Their rhetoric is tainted, because their paid by the government to jack up the price for Mighty River, and, look, getting political advice from them is like sort of taking grooming advice from Frankenstein.”
But Jones concedes that he needed convincing.
“You know, this is how politics works. It’s dynamic. It’s not static. You have your say. You debate it vigorously, and I’m a vigorous debater, and then you arrive at a position of consensus, and then you're obligated to show the public that, number one, you believe in the policy and you're capable of implementing it. And under our watch, there will be no fleecing of households any more by the power companies.”
He also says it’s about presenting a united front to voters.
“What you do is you have your debate and you’ll never ever completely agree with everything behind the scenes, but you show loyalty, and unless the voters believe that you're a united team, then why would they ever support you?”
And he admits he has taken some flak from the business community.
“Well, the merchant bankers have gone absolutely nutty, but then I accept where they’re coming from.”
But he says he has finally found some common ground with the Green Party.
“Well, look, I’ve said some colourful things in the past, and I finally found something that I can agree with the Greens on – ie, regulating the power industry.”
NBR staff
Sun, 28 Apr 2013
Sun, 28 Apr 2013
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