Plan to fund renewable power company with tax on 'super-rich'

Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson (left) and Chlöe Swarbrick announce the party’s energy plan at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum yesterday. Photo: Peter McintoshPlans for a publicly owned renewable power company funded by the taxes of the super-rich were announced by the Greens at Dunedin’s historic gasworks, which “rightly places fossil fuels where they belong — in a museum”. In Dunedin yesterday, co-leaders Chloe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson set out the Green Party’s energy policy, a package intended to lower power bills alongside medium- and long-term investment in a resilient, renewable-powered economy. Ms Swarbrick said, if elected, the party would establish a publicly owned power company dubbed KiwiPower, using $980 million from the party’s “super-rich tax”. “What we are talking about investing in is tapping into the abundant, literally renewable energy which exists all around us that nature provides.”