Minister for Resources Shane Jones says not all Māori are against gas and oil exploration.
Minister for Resources Shane Jones says not all Māori are against gas and oil exploration.
Senior Māori Government ministers Shane Jones and Tama Potaka say Māori will have plenty of opportunities to voice their views on the proposed changes to the Crown Minerals Act.
The pair have organised a Zoom hui with iwi leaders tomorrow to outline plans for the removal of the ban on new oil and gas exploration and other proposed changes to the Crown Minerals regime.
Jones said not all Māori are against gas and oil exploration.
“The gas industry has boosted Taranaki including Māori for decades. It keeps our lights on. The sector can offer more but we need greater investment.” Jones told the Herald.
“The legal requirement to engage with iwi is a chance to talk about energy security. This is economic reality not a cultural soap opera. I look forward to a robust exchange.
“Iwi leadership needs to avoid green gullibility.”
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In a letter to iwi, Jones and Potaka wrote: “The kaupapa for the hui is to share the scope of changes being considered by the Government as part of their commitment to removing the ban on oil and gas exploration beyond onshore Taranaki. The intention in removing the ban is to provide a secure and affordable supply of gas for New Zealand, and to attract international investment.
“Rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s exploration opportunities will require more than the removal of the ban. New Zealand must re-establish itself as an attractive and secure destination for international investment. To do that, Government is considering changes to the Crown Minerals Act 1991 that go beyond the ban, to support investor confidence and improve regulatory efficiency.”
