The largest ever oil and gas Block Offer announced today, including 2,600 km2 in the Maui’s dolphin sanctuary, is a disaster for our environment and shows how desperate the National Government is to keep its oil dream alive in the face of growing public concern about climate change, the Green Party said. “This is a disaster for the environment and yet another example of National backing a polluting industry instead of investing in the clean-technology jobs that New Zealanders want,”...

The Green Party can reveal the Government is continuing to pour public money into subsidies for the oil and gas industry and ignore clean energy investment, on the eve of a major government-sponsored oil and gas conference starting in Auckland tomorrow. The Government has just confirmed it spent $47,583 on the 2016 Minerals Exploration Data Pack – a collection of valuable data for overseas fossil fuel companies as a sweetener to make drilling for oil in New Zealand more attractive....

The National Government’s lack of a plan to shift New Zealand to electric vehicles will have contributed to Nissan’s decision to stop selling its Leaf electric car new in New Zealand, the Green Party said. The Nissan Leaf was formerly the most affordable electric car (EV) available new in New Zealand. “There is a huge opportunity for electric vehicles to cut our contribution to climate pollution and our $6 billion annual oil import bill but the National Government is being...

The Green Party has today written to Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges, asking him to commission an independent study into the best options for replacing coal-burning electricity generation at Huntly with cleaner alternatives. The call follows electricity industry backlash against the decision by Huntly power plant owner Genesis to stop burning coal in 2018, and pressure from the industry for New Zealand to keep burning coal to generate electricity. “With the pressure coming on Genesis to keep burning coal,...

The cost to New Zealanders of National’s asset sales has today hit $1 billion, according to figures released by the partially privatised power companies. The latest interim dividend figures from the partially privatised Mighty River Power, Genesis, and Meridian show that the Crown has forgone $945.14 million in dividends since the asset sales. The National Government spent $96 million on the asset sales programme, including bonus-share sweeteners for investors. Combined, that means the asset sales have a total cost of...

Power companies should be leading a national shift to clean energy, not lining up to keep the Huntly coal power station open, the Green Party said today. Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes is inviting the power companies that have called for Huntly to keep burning coal to meet with him and find a way to replace coal with cleaner options. “If burning more coal is the answer then as a country we have been asking the wrong questions,” Mr...

A proposed new coal mine at Mokau, South Waikato, shows why the Resource Management Act (RMA) should allow local authorities such as regional councils to take the causes of climate change into account, the Green Party said today. Mokau South Resources has applied to the Waikato Regional Council to dam, pollute, and discharge water in relation to a new coal mine it hopes to open under a mining permit it’s held since 1990. Since 2004, the RMA has prevented councils...

The National Government has today awarded nine new oil and gas exploration permits, in the latest demonstration it has absolutely no intention of living up to the Paris agreement to halt climate change, the Green Party says. “National couldn’t even wait a week after world leaders agreed on a plan to stop climate change before giving out new permits for foreign companies to drill for fossil fuels in New Zealand waters,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes said. “Today’s oil and...

Plans to expand the Waihi goldmine even further into the Waihi community shows the urgent need for the Government to support a new Green Party bill that protects communities from the destruction and damage of mining, the Green Party said today. OceaniaGold will be expanding their explorations underneath Waihi and already have the resource consents to do so according to reports yesterday. “People affected by the extension of mining in Waihi shouldn’t have their rights to live peacefully in their own homes...

The National Government's love affair with fossil fuels has just become more embarrassing, as New Zealand was voted one of the top ten most attractive nations for the fossil fuel industry to do business in, the Green Party says. The Government was yesterday given a top 10 ranking by the Fraser Institute for making New Zealand more attractive to the fossil fuel sector.  Oil executives surveyed by the institute praised governments who supported their industry through government spending, tax settings,...