ACT’s Energy and Resources spokesperson Simon Court is welcoming the Coalition Government’s draft minerals strategy, which includes the following commitments made in the National-ACT coalition agreement:

• Updating the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to clarify its role as promoting the use of Crown minerals
• Exploring the potential for a critical minerals list, where such minerals would have a preferential pathway for development once identified
• Repealing the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration.

Mr Court is in Blackball for today's announcement.

“A high-wage economy depends on affordable and reliable energy. In other words, we need to drill, baby, drill”, says Mr Court.

“So-called environmentalists would have us believe that we can’t have a clean, green environment and cheap, reliable energy at the same time.

“ACT believes we can have both: a thriving energy sector that serves the economic needs of New Zealanders and a sustainable environment for future generations.

“New Zealand’s energy sector is being strangled by red tape. It’s stopping innovative solutions to our most pressing energy and environmental challenges.

“Replacing the RMA with an enabling system based on private property rights will let the energy and resources sector get on with routine activities without fear of being held up for years in court by activists.

“The Fast-Track Approvals Bill will provide for some urgent projects but most of the resource consents issued in New Zealand each year won’t be affected, so replacing the RMA is the next step to unlocking economic and social development.

“Under the last Government, almost 8 percent of households could not afford to keep their houses warm. The Electricity Networks Association has forecast households will be paying twice as much for electricity in five years.

“Taking full advantage of the resources at our disposal will allow us to get electricity prices under control and ease the cost-of-living crisis for the families who are struggling most.

“Taking a practical and solutions focused policy approach will allow the transition to a more productive economy with lower emissions and deliver energy and resources to consumers at the least cost.”

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