PM’s closed-door Taranaki meetings ‘really constructive’

Taranaki leaders have asked Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to help them address economic uncertainty, during her first visit since last month’s surprise call to end further offshore oil and gas exploration.

Ardern, who spent yesterday morning in closed-door meetings with community and industry leaders, also announced Taranaki would host a national summit on the “just transition” to clean energy, and a new unit within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment had been set up to drive it.

The Government’s April 12 announcement took the industry and the leaders of the region by surprise — instantly drawing criticism and fears for an industry responsible for $1.57 billion of Taranaki’s total GDP. It provided 4340 full-time equivalent roles, and overall, it was linked to the creation of 7070 jobs in Taranaki. Ardern described her meetings as “really constructive”.

The Government had put $100,000 towards a business case for a New Energy Development Centre to be based in Taranaki. The region’s leaders had since asked the Government for $42 million over the next three years to go towards a regional economic strategy, helping establish an expert team to plan, research and advise on the transition.

Ardern wouldn’t be drawn on whether the Government would make the investment, but noted that $20m had already been pumped into the region through the Provincial Growth Fund.

Asked why it had taken more than a month to visit the region since the announcement, Ardern said she was delayed by international travel commitments.

“But what it has allowed us to do is work out some of those plans to really sit down and have those constructive conversations.”