Fuelling fears
NZ Refining is about to shut down our only production facility for fossil fuels and is turning Marsden Point into a storage terminal for imported fuels. This decision is purely made on commercial grounds by the shareholding oil companies. It will bring about also the demise of the only
two domestic oil tankers serving our coastal trade. As of this month, we will entirely become dependent on petroleum products being shipped from refineries in Korea, Japan or Singapore. Without a continuous maritime supply chain of foreign tanker vessels, the country would come to standstill within two weeks.
Up until last week, such a bleak scenario could have been called alarmist and farfetched. But our paradigms have shifted when the Russian leader put the threat of a global nuclear war on the table, should he feel cornered by his perceived enemies.
It is the role of the Government to safeguard against the most existential threats by ensuring that indispensable infrastructure remains onshore. What is our Government's stance and action on this matter of life and death?
Robert Weber, Devonport.
Urgent rethink
I agree with your correspondent Nigel Bufton (NZ Herald, March 4) about the lack of discussion regarding the closure of Marsden Point Oil Refinery.
The current invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces and the impact it is having on oil supplies and prices globally bring into question the continued validity of MBIE's original advice to the Government, "that closure of the refinery would not put our oil supplies in danger".
The Government must require MBIE to urgently review its original advice against the now developing global situation. Until that review is completed the Government must call for a stop to the decommissioning of the refinery function at Marsden Point.
Peter Kelly, Glendene.
Emissions scheme
Two letters (NZ Herald, March 3) refer to the latest report from the IPCC and the failure of current mitigation measures to be effective in reducing global emissions.
Fundamental to such failure are politically driven initiatives that render most efforts impotent.
The emissions trading scheme is a prime example of this folly. The major polluters of the world can continue their operations by offsetting their output with the purchase of carbon credits. This often involves the acquisition of land elsewhere for the planting of trees. We have already experienced corrupt outcomes from this in New Zealand with productive farmland being lost to "carbon farming".
The analogy has already been aired that the ETS makes as much sense as someone dropping litter in Kaitāia in the hope that someone will pick up the equivalent amount of litter in Timaru.
George Williams, Whangamatā.
No harbour
If the Government wishes to get serious in displaying our nation's distaste at Russia's invasion of Ukraine, then it should ban all Russian-flagged ships from New Zealand ports. This needs to include fishing vessels as well as cargo ships. While this may be seen as purely a symbolic gesture, if other nations follow suit then it could eventually paralyse Russian shipping.
A previous Labour Government arbitrarily banned nuclear-powered and armed vessels from New Zealand waters. With this precedent in mind, there is accordingly no reason whatsoever why the current Labour Government cannot ban Russian-flagged ships from our ports.
Murray Dear, Hamilton.
Success factors
The March issue of the scientific journal Scientific American is devoted to the progress of managing the Covid pandemic over the past two years. The journal specifically notes the outstanding success story of two nations in coming to grips with this pandemic, namely New Zealand and Taiwan. This success is attributed to two factors. Firstly caring governments, and secondly, the development and enaction of sound health policies. We should all be grateful for this approach, notwithstanding the difficulties in everyday life that have occurred. Our exceptionally low Covid death rate merits celebration. It is worth noting that these two leading countries have female leaders.
Ivan Erceg, Hobsonville.
