Why the Government dropped its power bill levy

Why the Government dropped its power bill levy

From The Front Page by NZ Herald

June 9, 2026 · 20 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the government's decision to drop the power bill levy for LNG imports and the implications for New Zealand's energy security.

A few months ago, the Government said New Zealanders could end up helping fund a new LNG import terminal through their power bills. Now it's changed its mind.  As of today, the customer levy is gone, but the plan to import liquefied natural gas as a backup for dry years is still very much alive.  So why the backdown and who ultimately will end up paying?   And with LNG now being described as the fastest and most flexible option available by 2028, is this the best solution for New Zealand's dry-year problem, or just the quickest one on the table?  Today we're joined by New Zealand Herald senior correspondent Katie Bradford to discuss the politics, economics and energy security questions behind one of the Government's biggest infrastructure bets.  Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Editor/Producer: Richard Martin Producer: Jane Yee   See…

People in this episode

Host: Richard Martin

Guest: Katie Bradford

Topics covered

  • government policy
  • energy security
  • liquefied natural gas
  • infrastructure
  • economics
  • politics

Keywords

  • power bill levy
  • LNG import terminal
  • energy policy
  • New Zealand government
  • dry-year problem
  • infrastructure investment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Zealand Herald

Products: LNG

Places: New Zealand

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