National attacks halt on oil permits

WELLINGTON: National called a snap debate in Parliament yesterday and used it to attack the Government’s decision not to offer any more offshore oil exploration permits.

The Government has announced this year’s block offer would be limited to onshore exploration in Taranaki.

‘‘I feel pretty gutted for regional New Zealand,’’ National’s deputy leader Paula Bennett said.

‘‘This is a death sentence for some of our towns, and it doesn’t help climate change — in fact it is the opposite of that.’’

Ms Bennett said petrol was produced around the world and an exploration ban in New Zealand would not do anything to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

‘‘Instead, other countries will produce it and we will have to buy it at a higher price.’’

Former energy minister Judith Collins said oil was a significant and valuable export.

‘‘We could be the Norway of the Pacific, but we have a government that’s intent on turning us into the Nauru of the Pacific,’’ she said.

Energy Minister Megan Woods said National did not understand what was actually happening.

‘‘Current exploration rights will be honoured,’’ she said.

‘‘We currently have 31 live exploration permits, 22 of them offshore. This is more than enough for ensuring continuity of supply.’’

The Government’s decision came on the day the main centre petrol price for unleaded 91 octane increased by 3c to 211.9c a litre.

Sheena Thomas, of Z Energy, said the company had also increased prices across most of its service stations because barrel prices in the US were the highest they had been since late 2014.