Green plan fears now ‘a reality’

New Plymouth’s mayor is calling on the Government to support Taranaki and questioning what the region has to show for its ‘just transition’ towards cleaner energy.

In April 2018, the Labour Government announced a ban on new oil and gas permits for offshore drilling, with no new onshore permits after three years.

There was an immediate outcry from Taranaki and warnings that the economy would tank, with uncertainty for those invested in the region.

In December 2019, Tamarind Taranaki became insolvent, and this month methanol firm Methanex made 75 staff redundant.

Neil Holdom told a council committee that the region was at the point where what they had warned the Government would happen had come to pass.

‘‘There’s a big hole in our energy sector that is not going to be filled by anything in the next 5-10 years. Those in the industry have been spooked.

‘‘To date, what have we got to show for our just transition? A paltry few million dollars and people getting phone calls regularly telling them not to come to work.’’

There was no commitment of a cent beyond June 30, he said.

‘‘There’s no sense of urgency, there’s no commitment, and they keep saying there is no money,’’ Holdom told the Daily News.

‘‘This Government made a commitment to a long-term just transition.’’

He had been told to wait for the Budget, he said.

New Plymouth MP Glen Bennett said there had been a meeting with the Taranaki leadership group – which includes Holdom – and Government ministers Grant Robertson, Megan Woods, Stuart Nash and Nanaia Mahuta.

‘‘I’m working in the background on ensuring that funding is available,’’ Bennett said.

‘‘It’s all well and good for us to expect Government to just foot the bill, but we’re aware that it’s a collaborative approach we need to take.’’

Bennett said he was concerned about job losses but also optimistic that ‘‘there is potential coming’’, and maintained the 2018 announcement was the right thing to do.

At a summit in May 2019, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced funding for a $27 million clean energy centre and a further $20m set aside in the Budget for an energy research fund in Taranaki.

Venture Taranaki chief executive Justine Gilliland said it was disappointing there was no indication of funding beyond the end of the financial year.

Investigations on a ship’s crew member who returned a weak positive covid test while the vessel was berthed in Taranaki have shown the infection is historical.

‘‘This historical case has already been reported overseas, so is not included in our case reporting data,’’ the Ministry of Health said in a statement yesterday.

On Friday, the ministry reported the crew member, from the Boka Summit, had returned a weak positive result followed by a negative result.

The ship had been at sea for a month after leaving Singapore.

None of the crew had reported any symptoms in that time, including the crew member under investigation, the Ministry said.

A small number of shore workers have been in contact with the ship during its time in Port Taranaki but it is believed they were all wearing appropriate PPE and taking expected precautions.

Boka Summit sailed from the port due to bad weather, but arrived back yesterday just before 8am and departed at 3.18pm.