John MacDonald: Shane Jones, I'm with the Lotus Eaters

Resources Minister Shane Jones was full of it when he was on Newstalk ZB this morning, talking about the Government's plan to lift the ban on oil and gas exploration. 

He said you and I have two choices.  

We can either go with the people he calls the "lotus-eaters". These are the people who are outraged that the Government is lifting the ban. People he says have been fed and swallowed the line about climate change, and oil and gas being the baddies. 

Or, he says,  we can go with the Government - which is going all “you can’t stop progress” on it. And I’ll tell you right now - I’m with the lotus eaters. And I’ll tell you why shortly.  

But a bit of background first. You’ll remember how, back in 2018, the former Labour-led government pulled the pin, saying it didn't make sense to crow about tackling climate change and - at the same time - allow the energy companies to keep plundering the natural environment. 

And, before the election last year, noises were made about ditching the ban. And, yesterday, the Government delivered. Or it announced or confirmed its intention to deliver, anyway. 

And the Government reckons it will have it across the line sometime later this year. 

Which has the energy companies delighted, of course. 

Someone who isn't delighted, though, is Megan Woods. She was Energy Minister back in 2018 when the Labour/NZ First coalition government put the kibosh on further exploration. 

Which Shane Jones claimed this morning took him and Winston by surprise. And he doesn’t want to take anyone by surprise this time around. Which is why the ban won't be lifted overnight but (as we say here in New Zealand), it will happen. 

So, as soon as the Government made the announcement yesterday, Megan Woods was on the attack saying the Government is continuing what she called “its mindless charge toward giving fossil fuel companies free reign”. 

She went on to say: “Climate change is the number one issue facing New Zealand, and Minister Jones is hell bent on ignoring options of energy that are future-proofed and up to global standards. 

“New Zealand is being taken backwards. This government is being cruel to future generations, this will take decades to undo – if the damage can be undone at all.” So that was the fiery talk from Megan Woods yesterday. 

Not surprisingly, the Green Party was just as fired up. 

Not that that has Shane Jones worried. He says the chopice is simple. Do you want tpo go with the Government or the lotus-eaters? 

I’m with the lotus eaters which, if you were listening to the conversation we had a few weeks back about extracting more minerals on the West Coast and here in Canterbury, you might think is a bit of a contradiction. 

Because I’m all in favour of us taking a look at what’s under the bonnet when it comes to minerals under the ground, because that’s where the future is. 

So much so, that middle eastern countries want to pour money into mineral extraction in Australia because they know that oil is a dead-end game to be involved in. Long term, anyway. 

And it’s for that very same reason that I think the Government is barking up the wrong tree giving the green light for more oil and gas exploration. It’s only doing it because it was part of the coalition deal. But it’s not going to attract that big investment Shane Jones seems to think it will. 

Because, in three years time, if we have a change of government, the ban will be back in place. And the energy companies will know that - and do you really think they’re going to fall for all the bluster and talk from Shane Jones? Of course, they won’t. 

And I think Shane Jones knows that himself too. But he can’t say it, of course. Because he was talking this morning about wanting to secure long-term contracts with oil and gas companies. Which smells to me like Rio Tinto and the aluminium smelter all over again. 

Because if these companies are going to sign long term contracts - knowing the political risk involved - then they are going to be wanting all the sweeteners in the world, aren’t they? 

And the Minister’s talk about securing long-term contracts is just code for New Zealand giving the oil and gas companies whatever they want, just to get some ink on the dotted line. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Resources Minister Shane Jones he was full of it when
he was on with Mike this morning. This was all
about the government's plan to lift the ban on oil
and gas exploration. He said that you and I we've
got two choices. We can either go with the people
he calls the lotus eaters. These are the people who
are outraged the government's lifting the ban, people he says,

(00:34):
have been fed and swallowed a dire tribe about climate
change and oil and gas being the bad guys. Or
he says, we can go with the government which is
going oll you know you can't stop progress on it.
And I'll tell you right now, I'm with the lotus eaters.
I'll tell you why shortly. But a bit of background first.
You remember how back in what twenty eighteen, the former

(00:58):
Labor New Zealand First government pulled the pin, saying it
didn't make sense to cry about tackling climate change and
at the same time allow the energy companies to keep
plundering the natural environment. And before the election last year
noises were made about ditching the band and so yesterday.
The government delivered well, it announced confirmed its intention to

(01:19):
deliver anyway, and the government reckons it will have it
across the line sometime later this year, which has the
energy companies delighted. Of course, someone who isn't delighted though,
isn't delighted as Meghan Woods. She was Energy Minister back
in twenty eighteen when the Labor New Zealand first Coldish
government put the kibosh on further exploration, which Shane Jarnes

(01:41):
you might have heard of me. He claimed this morning.
That took him in Winston by surprise when that happened
back in twenty eighteen, and he doesn't want to take
anyone else by surprise this time around, which is why
the band won't be lifted overnight. But as we say
here in New Zealand, it will happen. So as soon
as the government made the announcement yesterday, Meghan Woods, she
was on the fax machine. She was on the attack,

(02:01):
saying that the government is continuing what she called, quote
it's mindless charged toward giving fossil fuel companies free reign.
I'll quite a few more things from her. What you
say on the fax machine. She went on to say
quote climate change is the number one issue facing New Zealand,
and Minister Jones is hell bent on ignoring options of
energy that are future proofed and up to global standards.

(02:23):
She says, New Zealand has been taken backwards. This government
has been cruel to future generations. This will take decades
to undo if the damage can be undone at all.
End of quote Safari talk from Megan Woods. Yes today,
not surprisingly the Green Party just as fired up. Not
that that has Shane Jones worried in any way, shape
or form. Who As I said earlier, when it comes

(02:47):
to oil and gas expiration, he says, New Zealand has
two options. Here's how he described those two options to
Mike earlier. You either take the lotus eater green approach,
who are people who want to tranquilize the economy, or
you stand with us we're going to turbo charge economy.
You've got a clear choice. So I'm with the lotus eaters,
which if you were listening to the conversation we had

(03:08):
a few weeks back about extracting more minerals on the
West Coast and here in Canterbury and also further up
the South Island. If you're listening that, you might think
that's a bit contradictory of me to say that, because
I'm all in favor of us taking a look at
what's under the bonnet when it comes to minerals under
the ground, because that is where the future is. So
much so that Middle Eastern countries want to pour money
into mineral extraction in Australia because they know that oil

(03:30):
is a dead end game to be involved in long
term anyway. And it's for that very same reason. Then
I think the government is barking up the wrong tree
giving the green light for more oil and gas exploration.
It's only doing it, well, it's honey doing it, really,
isn't it because it was part of the coalition deal.
But it's not going to attract that big investment. Shane
Jones seems to think it will because in three years time,

(03:53):
if we have a change of government, the band will
be back in place and the energy companies will know that.
And do you really think they're going to fall for
all the bluster and all the talk from Shane Jones.
Of course they won't. And I think Shane Jones he
knows that himself too, but he can't say it of course,
because he was talking this morning when he was on
with Mike about wanting to secure long term contracts with

(04:14):
the oil and gas companies, which will tell you what
smells to me like Rio Tinto and the aluminium smelter
all over again, because if these big companies are going
to sign long term contracts knowing the political risk involved,
then they're going to be wanting all the sweeteners in
the world, aren't they. And the ministers talk about securing
long term contracts, it is just code. It is code

(04:37):
for New Zealand giving the oil and gas companies whenever
they want, just to get some ink on the dotted line.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
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