uk+kiwi

I know. Daft isn't it. Although I suppose it's effectively NZ's economic policy to a degree. A country of only 4m exporting as much as possible for the nation's overall benefit, to the much much larger outside world.

BEVS

I agree.

lardyl

kinda the bad old Third World "cash crop" situation but nowehere near as exterme

BEVS

Yes. Kind of. NZ needs to export. NZ felt abandoned when the UK entered the European common market, so it had to turn it's eyes to other markets worldwide. Before that , it had a guaranteed market with the UK through the commonwealth etc.

[ no . I did not vote for the common market]

Nerine

Which is why NZ does so much trade with Pacific nations and China. I'm sure a lot of NZ's current growth is directly linked to China's.

We had our first leccy bill in a little while ago and it confirmed to me what I'd always suspected - NZ is charging waaay too much for its power.

We've had air cond and fans on almost constantly throughout the last month with night time temps of above 25 degrees, I've be awaiting the power bill with some trepidation. It was $88 plus a small community ambulance charge, whatever that is.

The unit price is 8c. and there is no standing charge for the meter. I can't see it being higher during the "winter" either, lower if anything.