Today, Charles Chauvel hosted Labour leader Phil Goff in a pair of visits, highlighting Energy issues in New Zealand.

Goff and Chauvel joined Rimutaka MP Chris Hipkins as they visited local insulation provider Poly Palace. Poly Palace are an award winning company who specialise in reusing polystyrene from the local landfill/recycling centre in Wellington. Apart from a $5000 capital grant from the Porirua City Council, they have received no public funding.

Recent changes to EECA rules as part of the Warm Up New Zealand campaign mean that Poly Palace cannot qualify as a contractor  As a consequence, Poly Palace have had to lay off installation and administrative staff, while the insulation industry is struggling to meet demand from consumers.

Chauvel, Goff and Hipkins met with Poly Palace manager Richard Moore to learn more about their situation, in the hopes of bringing the Government to account.

Charles and Phil then went to Project West Wind, joining officials from Meridian as they visited the now completed turbines. Chauvel visited the 62 turbine wind farm in April this year when the first 15 turbines were switched on.

When fully operation in December the farm will produce enough power to power the equivalent of 70.000 average New Zealand homes, or a maximum capacity of 143 MW.

Wind farms like Project West Wind are contributing to a Green economy, including 100 million in civil engineering projects involved in building the roads.