Yesterday the New Zealand government made a weak and hopeful energy announcement proposing to urgently build a new billion dollar LNG infrastructure. Why yesterday when this concern has been hidden from the public for months if not years? And why is their announcement so poorly thought out?

The NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party learned at a meeting last week that NZ's largest Natural Gas supply the Maui gas field, is rapidly depleting and is due to be shut off. So are Pohokura, Kapuni and the other 12 gas fields" due to rapid depletion of their remaining reserves.

"Ongoing Natural Gas supply is obviously very important for many North Island households and for industry. Indeed it affects all of us if a major source of energy is suddenly no longer available. We immediately undertook research to find government sourced documents, and we asked questions about missing information including the predicted date of closure of Maui, as this was redacted by the government from public documents." said Sue Grey Leader of the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party.

"The very next working day, the government announced a poorly considered billion dollar proposal that raises more questions than it answers. It looks like a desperate attempt by a sleepwalking government to try to take back control of a serious issue that has been drifting for years" says Sue Grey.

Current Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is Quoted as saying

“New Zealand was experiencing a “renewable energy boom” but swiftly declining gas supply”

Christopher Luxon needs to come up with some answers – Here are our questions

1. “Mr Luxon, what do you mean by Swiftly in that statement you made yesterday? 

Why did you use this word if you did not have some dates in mind? Is it a very prescriptive word? People do not use the word Swiftly if they do not know something

2. Mr Luxon - Why did you announce an 18 month target for this project - when we know these projects take 4-5 years from spade time to open the plant for operations time?

Is 18 months the deadline for something you are aware of?
Is it actually the “we cannot keep electricity going after that date?” Is that really what you are saying?

3. Mr Luxon, the public demands a detailed explanation (with dates and numbers) explaining what is occurring to the NZ energy sector?

Please supply this as a matter for public record and future accountability. This is not a question about magic, it is a science and numbers question. Give us the numbers and dates please. It would not be fair for you to sign a $1Bn contract if you did not have these numbers at hand.

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