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A joint economic development study has been commissioned to look at the potential for and benefits of developing an oil and gas industry on the North Island’s East Coast.

The study is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and regional economic development agency Business Hawke’s Bay, on behalf of eight East Coast councils.

Changes to gas and electrical certification regimes mean safer outcomes for consumers, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The changes mean all gas and electrical installation work will now require certification.

The amended regulations will be published in the New Zealand Gazette today and are the result of a review of the regimes to ensure they provide cost-effective public safety outcomes.

A new Bill to strengthen management of Crown-owned minerals passed its first reading in Parliament today.

The Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill is a key element in the Government’s commitment to promote responsible exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources.

“Oil, gas and minerals together contribute over $4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP each year. Crude oil is New Zealand’s fourth largest commodity export earner,” Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Commerce Committee to consider the Bill.

At the appropriate time I intend to move that the Bill be reported to the House by 30 January 2013.

This Government’s Business Growth Agenda is an ambitious programme of work that will support New Zealand businesses to grow in order to create jobs and improve New Zealanders’ standard of living.

First, I’d like to acknowledge the importance of road transport to our economy.

Our size, and the significant distances between our towns, cities and ports, mean the roading network is vital for us all.

From roofing iron and aggregate to ice-cream and i-phones, heavy vehicles (or trucks as most of us call them!), play a part in moving nearly everything we need.

The cost of freight is built into the retail price of goods, so the amount of fuel used by the heavy vehicle fleet affects everyone.

Truckies and fleet operators could each save tens of thousands of dollars every year under a new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) programme launched by Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley at Parliament today.

“Trucks transport door-to-door almost everything that is used or consumed in this country. The cost of freight makes up part of the retail price of most goods and services, so a more efficient transport fleet benefits the wider economy,” Mr Heatley said.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed a new report on the economic benefits of future oil and gas discoveries released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today.

“The report responds to the question ‘What if we could develop a second Taranaki in New Zealand?’

I’m very pleased to be here tonight to recognise this important milestone and to join my colleague Hon Jo Goodhew in congratulating ESITO on the success of the ‘Women in Power’ initiative so far, and now the launch of phase two, Ultimit.

The future of the electricity sector is an exciting one.  ESITO’s role is crucial to ensuring that the sector has the skilled workers it needs to support business growth, not to mention keep powering New Zealand homes and enable our increasingly digital lifestyles.

The 2012 Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards presented in Auckland last night were welcome recognition of excellence and achievement across the electricity, oil, gas and petroleum industries in New Zealand, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

“The New Zealand energy sector is an essential part of the country’s infrastructure and makes a significant contribution to the economy.

“A thriving and high-achieving energy sector is essential to a growing economy and to improve the standard of living of New Zealanders.

I’m delighted to be part of these awards tonight, to celebrate the achievements of a sector that has contributed so much over so long to New Zealand, and that will be a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economic growth.

And it’s great to see the industry stepping forward and celebrating its successes with a bit of glamour and finesse!  Well done.

These awards are a great opportunity to showcase your achievements to, and for, New Zealand, and to recognise your contributions.

Meridian Energy’s Mill Creek wind farm near Wellington is a welcome boost to the local economy and will be a significant contributor to future renewable energy, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The Minister took part in a sod-turning ceremony and iwi blessing marking the start of construction of the new 26-turbine wind farm in Ohariu Valley, north-west of Wellington, this morning.

“This project will have significant and wide-ranging benefits to the Wellington region,” he said.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today launched the new Code of Conduct for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals from Seismic Survey Operations.

The new code is a set of operational requirements that aim to protect marine mammals from potential impacts of seismic survey work used in oil and gas exploration, seabed minerals prospecting and scientific research.

The launch of the Code of Conduct for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals is another of the many steps this Government is taking to ensure that we make the most of our promising petroleum potential in a manner that is well managed and consistent with the wider values we hold as a nation, and to the highest international standards.

New Zealand has a long history of innovative demand management, starting with the deployment of the first ripple control systems 60 years ago.

Ripple control, while it has served us well, is becoming outdated technology.  New technologies and systems are available that have the potential to dramatically change the way consumers interact with electricity systems. 

I believe the potential for smart grids in New Zealand is significant.  

I’m delighted to be here today to share with you this exciting development in the Tāmaki Transformation Programme, and ultimately a positive advancement for the future generations of Tāmaki residents.  

I’m joined today by the Mayor of Auckland Council to sign the Tāmaki Heads of Agreement between the Crown and the Council – a first in New Zealand. This will see the people of Tāmaki placed at the centre of all future regeneration and development activities.

Thanks for the invitation to your conference. I’m glad to be here.

To start by going back a bit . . . in 1937, Mickey Savage carried a dining table through the front door of 12 Fife Lane, Miramar, here in Wellington, and opened New Zealand’s first state house.

He backed an excellent model.  It kicked off the development of mass state housing, provided shelter for generations of New Zealanders, and for several decades the state picked up the tab for good quality social housing used by working people.

Thanks for the invitation to talk to you today. It’s my first time at this Forum as you know, so it’s nice to be here, getting a little of that special Coast flavour into my day! 

Before I talk about the minerals sector I’d like to just quickly cover the background to the economic work we’re doing.

The Government has set ambitious economic goals for New Zealand that require a significant improvement in our economic performance.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley heads overseas today to attend the 10th APEC Energy Ministers Meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, and the Ministerial Forum on Offshore Energy Safety in Norway.

“Energy underpins economic growth. Global energy demand is forecast to increase by 40 per cent between 2009 and 2035, and energy co-operation between members is an important agenda item for APEC,” Mr Heatley said.

“I’m looking forward to discussions with other Ministers representing economies for whom energy is crucial.”

Thank you for inviting me to address your conference.

This is the first chance that I have had since taking up my Energy and Resources portfolio to meet with a cross-section of engineers from the electricity industry.

I thought that to begin with I would briefly talk about the Government’s priorities in the energy area. 

Your primary focus is on electricity issues, but I’m sure you will be interested in the way in which our broader energy framework influences the long-term development of your industry.

Welcome to Wellington! And in some cases, to New Zealand. Thank you for inviting me to open this conference. It is a pleasure to be here with you this morning.

Fossil fuels make a valuable contribution to the energy needs of all countries, including New Zealand. At the same time many countries are looking to develop technologies to help address concerns about oil prices and about how to efficiently use fossil fuels as a precious resource.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed two significant wind energy milestones today - Global Wind Day.

Meridian Energy announced today that construction on the Mill Creek wind farm north of Wellington will start soon, and the new Mt Stuart wind farm in the Clutha District has been officially opened.

Global Wind Day is an annual international celebration of wind energy in 40 countries around the world.

New investment in minerals exploration and development will invigorate Northland’s economy, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The Ministry of Economic Development opened the Northland 2012 competitive tender to manage competitive interest in exploring for metallic minerals today.

“The tender opens the door for us to realise the significant potential for New Zealand to grow the economic contribution made by minerals,” Mr Heatley said.

The opening of the 2012 oil and gas tenders announced today by the Ministry of Economic Development is an important step towards realising the potential of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

“Although oil and gas have been successfully and safely extracted in Taranaki for several decades, as a country we are still at a relatively early stage in the development of our oil and gas resources.

Two members of the Electricity Authority have been reappointed, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

David Bull and Roger Sowry have both been reappointed for five years, effective 1 June 2012.

“Both have served on the Electricity Authority since its establishment in November 2010,” said Mr Heatley.

“The reappointments provide the Authority with continuity of expertise and experience,” he said.