Heather du Plessis-Allan: Labour can't hold on to the oil and gas ban forever

That was quite a smart move from Chris Luxon yesterday, calling on opposition parties to support the Government in fixing this energy crisis we’re in at the moment.

Not only because this is now so serious, with businesses closing down and cutting jobs because they can’t afford the power bill, that it really requires everyone in Parliament to be grown ups about it - but also because I think this is going to politically snooker Labour on that oil and gas ban.

I reckon they’re getting in trouble on this one now. At the moment, mind-blowingly, Labour is still committed to it. Just yesterday, Chris Hipkins said it was a bottom line they wouldn't budge on - they'll still bring the oil and gas ban back.

But I wonder if that’s what they’re saying until they say the opposite - do you know what I mean?

I don’t know that they can hold the line on this forever.

Because their argument at the moment is that the climate is more important than 230 mill jobs in the Ruapehu district and 300 jobs at Methanex in Taranaki - and however many other jobs are lost around the country at businesses that close down because they can’t afford the power bills because we’re running out of gas and not trying to find more because Labour won't let us try. 

Labour's argument on why they need to maintain the ban is bollocks.

They're suggesting there's no more gas out there. Yes there is - there are two fields off the coast of the North Island that have gas. There's Toutouwai off Taranaki and Karewa off Raglan, both are sitting there basically untapped.

If Labour really believes what it’s saying, that there really is no more gas, why do they need a ban?

Lift the ban, let the investors trick themselves and keep exploring for this non-existent gas, it’s not going to do any harm if there really isn't any gas out there. But what it will do is help New Zealand benefit from those companies maintaining the wells we already have.

Now, I don't think Labour’s in trouble for this just yet - which is why they’re holding the line and saying they will bring the ban back.

And I believe that’s because most people aren’t affected yet, most of us don't work for Methanex or these businesses shutting down.

But come April, when our power bills go up and we see the cost of this ban on us - Labour might have to start dropping this policy.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I reckon there was actually quite a smart move from
Chris Luxing yesterday calling on opposition parties to support the
government in fixing this energy crisis that we find ourselves
in at the moment. Not only was it a smart
move because this is serious. We've got businesses closing down
and cutting jobs because they cannot afford their power bills
at the moment, and if it's that serious, it really
does require everyone in Parliament to be grown ups about it.

(00:22):
But it's also a smart move because I think it's
going to eventually politically snooker Labor on that oil and
gaspan and I reckon they are starting to get in
a little bit of trouble on it now at the moment.
Mind blowingly, Labor is still committed to this absolutely ridiculous idea.
I mean even yesterday Chris Hepkins Boulders Brass said, nap,
it's a bottom line. They are absolutely going to bring

(00:44):
back the oil and gas pan. But I wonder if
this is something that they're saying until they say the opposite,
do you know what I mean? They're going to hold
this line hard until they change their minds on it,
because I don't think that they can hold this line forever.
Their argument at the moment. This is Labour's argument the moment,
basically is the climate is more important than two hundred

(01:05):
and thirty mil jobs in the Ruapeirho district and three
hundred jobs at methanex in Taranaki. And however many other
jobs are lost around the country at businesses that close
down now because they can't afford the power bills because
we're running out of gas and we're not trying to
find anymore because Labor won't let us try. That's their argument,
the climate is more important than those jobs. Labour's argument
on why they need to maintain the ban is just

(01:26):
absolutely bollocks as well. I mean they go around saying
that there is no more gas out there. Basically, yes,
there is. It is. There patently is gas out there.
There are two fields off the coast of the North
Island that have got gas. There's two toy off Taranaki
and there's cardre Were off Raglin. Both are just sitting there.

(01:47):
We know they've got gas. Nobody's tapping them at the moment,
so it is out there. If Labor even really did
believe what it was saying, right, if it really believed
that there was no more gas out there, then why
do you need a ban? Just lift the band, let
the investors trick themselves and go and keep keep exploring
for this non existent gas. It's not going to do
us any harm because there's no gas to find, apparently.
But in the meantime we're going to benefit from the

(02:07):
fact that these companies bring their equipment down and maintain
the wells we've already got. Now, I do not think
that Labour's in trouble on this just yet. I reckon
they've got a bit of time, which is why they're
holding the line and saying they're going to bring this
band back. And my reason, the reason I reckon they're
not in trouble at the moment is because most Kiwis
are not affected yet. Most of us do not work

(02:29):
at Method X or any of these businesses being shut
down right now. But come April, our power balls are
all going to go up. We are in for a
nasty shock and when we see the cost of the
span on every single one of us, Labour might have
to come round to dropping this policy. For more from
Heather Duplicy Alan Drive Listen live to news Talks, it'd
be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on

(02:51):
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