Energy and Resources Minister In Fantasyland

A new challenger to Anne Tolley's "Worst Minister" title is emerging.

This is Gerry Brownlee, according to the Herald:

Regarding apparent anomalies in the estimated value of minerals in areas earmarked to be taken out of schedule four, he said it was "a bit like two cooks having an argument about how many dates are in the scones".

The scone analogy is a hopeless one. The argument isn't over how many dates there are in the scones. If there are no dates, or very few dates, the scones will still be edible. But if there are few or no minerals in some areas of the Conservation estate to be mined, the plan starts looking like a stinker that won't be worth the trouble or the reputational damage to the country.

To continue the hopeless analogy, this is more an argument about whether there is any flour in the scones.

And then this:

Mr Brownlee said he didn't accept criticism in The Economist magazine attacking New Zealand's green credentials.

Other mining activity on the conservation estate had been approved over the years and tourist numbers were up, and countries like Canada had historically traded on its green image while maintaining mining industries.

It's no surprise to learn Brownlee doesn't accept criticism.

But perhaps Brownlee could read this article by renowned environmentalist George Monbiot about the Canadian oil and mining industries. Clean and green? Not so much.