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

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

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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