Shane Jones: Associate Energy Minister calls for fewer regulations around Marsden Point

The Associate Energy Minister wants climate advocates to embrace the potential for fewer regulations around Marsden Point.

Cabinet is planning to look into options to increase energy security this year.

They could include creating special economic zones, which have reduced regulations and increased support around customs and trade.

Shane Jones says it could be a significant point for energy transition, and innovation.

"What are we actually going to do in New Zealand, other than try and tax cows? What are we actually going to do to enable industry, to enable investors to accelerate the pace of change?"

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Marsden Point could become New Zealand's first Special Economic zone
in a bid to boost fuel and energy security for
Kew's The Resources Minister Shane Jones says turning it into
an energy precinct could protect against supply chain disruptions that
could support the economy. Shane Jones is with me now,
High Minister.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hi, greetings folks.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
What is a special economic What does that mean to
your special economic zone? Does that mean tax breaks for
this area? Does that mean faster regulation?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah? I mean the idea flows from the fact that
this is a site of great strategic importance. Seven to
sixteen billion dollars to rebuild the refinery according to the analyst,
So that's certainly beyond the spending capacity that I have
any influence over. One of the ideas that has come
forward is that if Marsden Point is really of significance

(00:49):
to energy transition, energy innovation, let's have a bespoke precinct
with distinctive planning laws and identify with my colleagues Nichola
Willis and the Minister of Revenue what additional what additional
incentives can be built into such.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
A zone, like tax breaks. You're looking at that now
I campaigned.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
I campaigned on that. Sadly, we've got six and a
half percent of the vote, so that didn't get very far.
But there's given. If indeed you do think that climate
change is this all enveloping existential issue, then what are
we actually going to do in New Zealand other than
try and tax cows. What are we actually going to

(01:34):
do to enable industry, to enable investors to accelerate the
accelerate the pace of change. So are you talking about.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Are you talking about biofuels only here at Marsden pointery?
Are you actually talking about oil?

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Of course, I'm talking about gas and oil. I'm not
part of this naive club who believes that the internal
combustion engine is going to go anytime soon. But we're
talking about all fuel.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
But the oil refinery is obviously been shutted, right, so
you're talking about bringing the oil refinery back as part
of this is that the goal no.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
The zone hopefully will encourage investors who are looking at fuel,
not only innovation but diversifying our fuel types. Obviously, in
New zealand's very keen to see if it can get
a blended fuel so it can play the game when
it goes and lands in other countries that have onerous
climate obligations.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
So biofuels, you're talking about biofuels, you're not talking about oil.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, it currently is a site of importation of oil
and that's not going to change anytime soon. But having
said that, you're not going to that. There's biofuels as hydrogen,
there's a variety of other things, and it's up to
the market to establish how such products can be delivered
in New Zealand. And let's try and find a spot
where people are incentivized to deliver them rather than suffering

(02:54):
the depredations of Nimby's minister.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Is this idea actually going to happen? Is this just
another kind of headline grabber from you.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
I'm disappointed you've characterized them Matua in such a rhetorical way.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
All right, No, no answer to the question either. What
about Mercury putting up their prices ten percent? They say
it's transmission cost lines costs have gone up, but also
the dry winter.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
The electricity system not unlike the Shakespearean phrase, is something
rotten at the core of the electricity sector. You know that,
I know that they are that powerful and they have
been that impervious to change that until such time there's
significant recalibration of the electricity settings. I don't imagine that

(03:47):
much of anything is going to change. I'm confident that
the reviews will give some decent options for the government
to look at. But the bottom line is we will
not have manufacturing, we will not have an industrial competitiveness
in New Zealand if we do not tame the profit

(04:08):
excesses of the electricity sector.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
They didn't make a profit, I beg your pardon, they
didn't make a profit.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Well, Genesis made a huge profit.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
But I've asked you about me. They haven't. That's all
I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
No. But if you look at the period of time
that mercury has been around and the inverse relationship to
how far how quickly their value has grown and the
pitiful amount of money that that sector is actually put
into boosting supply, you'll find that I'm right and you're wrong.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Minister. Thanks so much for your time. Shane Jones, the
Minister for Resources and Regional Development, with us from the
Solomon Islands. Of all places today. For more from Heather Duplessy,
Allen Drive, listen live to news talks it'd be from
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