Shane Jones: Minister for Resources says new oil and gas exploration won't make a dent in New Zealand's climate impacts

There’s a belief from the Minister that reopening oil and gas exploration won't make a dent in New Zealand's climate impacts. 

The public have until tonight to submit on the Government's bill, reversing the previous Governments ban on exploration off the coast. 

MBIE figures show it will result in millions of tonnes of additional emissions. 

But Shane Jones told Heather du Plessis-Allan New Zealand needs energy. 

He says those opposed are simply "woke" in thinking it is a mortal threat, a claim he's rubbishing. 

Jones says protestors are entitled to their views, and he’s happy to engage with those who disagree with him.  

He says kiwis want to hear someone put an alternative view to these frog-loving and lizard-obsessed environmentalists. 

The Government's own advice on repealing the oil and gas exploration ban, released under the Official Information Act and obtained by RNZ, says no new gas fields are likely to be discovered and developed in the next 10 years. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So it looks like we're going to be waiting at
least ten years to find new gas. Now, this is
the advice for the government, because it's of course repealing
the oil and gas exploration ban at the moment. In
submissions on that close today and Resources Minister Shane Jones
is with us.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, Hey Shane, Hey, morning, folks, what do you reckon the.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Chances aren't these guys are right and we don't get
any new gas within the next decade.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
I'm going to have a long term view about this.
We're going to need gas in New Zealand or coal
until twenty fifty. And all we're doing is ensuring that
we get rid of the just cinder of durned band,
which was an attempt to close down the gas industry
and we didn't like that. I don't want to see
it to persist one minute longer than it should.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
No, No, I agree with you on that, But I mean,
does this seems to me a little bit pessimistic to
be thinking that we're just going to have to be
importing LG for the next ten.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Years and through the entire system Sadly, over the last
six years there's been this creep of wocism, and people
are working in a lot of these climate orientated location
to become very cynical towards the gas industry. They seem
to regard it as a mortal threat and the planet's

(01:09):
going to be boiling, all of which is rubbish and
New Zealand emissions are a fraction and we need to
sustain our industry and make sure that we put New
Zealand first and not climate first.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Shane, what makes up these ten years? I mean? Is
this because we know there's gas out there right, We
know that there are a bunch of fields that could
potentially actually pump up a whole lot. So how does
it take ten years to get it out of the ground?
Is that as part of that you having to convince
them to come back.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, part of it is the confidence that was dented
after Descenda summarily canceled industry. But in addition to that,
we already have gas fields and quite a bit of
a problem has been the uncertainty going forward. If they
do spend one hundred couple of hundred million dollars, what
about if a new government arrived and indiscriminately cancels this industry,

(02:02):
which is while we will to explore ways of protecting
people's rights. It's absurd that you and I are even
having this discussion, which properly belongs in Venezuela, not New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Too right, Hallison, what about those protesters yesterday? Why do
you stop to have a chat to them?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Shane actually went for a haircut and then Rodney Wayne's
my appointment had been postponed. Look, they were initially at
Parliament and yeah across the road and they saw me
and gave me a blast. But hey, they're entitled to
their views. I'm not going to take a backward step

(02:38):
from these.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
You were enjoying it though, a because you stopped and
had a little chat right back at them.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, But I mean, I think key, we want to
see someone put an alternative view to these frog loving,
lizard obsessive characters.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Shane, good on you more of it. Thanks very much
that Shane Jones, the Resource Minister. For more on the
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