Displaying 49 - 72 of 133 results.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced details of the Government’s second round to attract competing bids for oil and gas exploration permits.

Speaking at the Advantage NZ: 2013 Petroleum Conference, Mr Bridges said Block Offer 2013 is an important step towards realising the potential of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources.

“Block Offer 2013 presents a range of promising opportunities for investors and operators, who bring with them knowledge and experience in global exploration and production of oil and gas.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today released an update on the Pike River Implementation Plan.

The plan lays out the actions the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The Government has made a commitment to the families of the victims of Pike River to ensure we follow through on every recommendation of the Royal Commission.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Labour
  • Economic Development

Electricity consumers should be under no illusion that the Labour-Greens power plan will hit them in the pocket, says Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

“Harking back to the 1970s with a half-baked nationalisation plan will ultimately cost consumers as it returns the country to the days of supply constraints, power blackouts and ultimately higher prices.

“David Parker himself said this in advice to the Cabinet in 2006.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says the Labour-Greens power plan is incoherent and will kill competition in the electricity market.

“Under the previous Government, electricity prices increased by 72 per cent. It has taken the National-led Government’s reforms to arrest these ridiculously steep increases on New Zealand households,” says Mr Bridges.

“The 2010 electricity market restructure is working. The market now has more players and much more competition than it ever had under Labour.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today welcomed the passing of the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill into law.

“The changes this Bill introduces promote a safe and sensible regulatory regime for the development of New Zealand’s petroleum and minerals resources,” says Mr Bridges.

“Oil, gas and minerals together contribute over $4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP each year and with responsible development, this contribution could be significantly greater.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Mr Speaker; I move that the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, Conservation Amendment Bill (No 2), Continental Shelf Amendment Bill, Reserves Amendment Bill, and Wildlife Amendment Bill be now read a third time.

These changes are central to this Government’s work programme to improve the regulatory system for the petroleum and minerals sectors in New Zealand.

The Bills deliver on the objectives of the Crown minerals review to:

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

The Government is proposing stronger measures to protect offshore petroleum and minerals activity from unlawful interference, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges said today.

Cabinet has approved further changes to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill to firm up protection of lawful offshore petroleum and minerals activity and to give new enforcement powers to police and defence force personnel.

The provisions are in a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to be tabled in Parliament.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

On behalf of the New Zealand Government, I welcome our international guests to Auckland, and to our wonderful country. It is a pleasure to have you here.

The New Zealand Government is pleased to be working with our co-hosts in the European Union, and our Summit sponsors from the World Bank, The Asian Development Bank, and AusAID, to make this important event happen.

It is very timely.

The Pacific Energy Summit is giving communities in the Pacific a platform to work with development partners to achieve their energy goals.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Thank you for the opportunity to address your annual conference.  It’s great to be here.  Your industry is an exciting one – with its challenges, and opportunities.

To get a sense of this, I am going to start by taking us all back a few years.

In 1993, New Zealand got its first wind power turbine prototype.  Over a few short years, the technology moved into the mainstream and its growth is now consistently in double digits.

Not bad in just 20 years.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

A joint economic development study has highlighted the potential of developing an onshore oil and gas industry and thousands of new jobs on the North Island’s East Coast.

The East Coast Oil and Gas Development Study, released today in Napier by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges, was commissioned to look at the benefits, impacts and risks of petroleum development.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Steven Joyce
  • Energy and Resources
  • Economic Development

Good morning and welcome everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here.

As many of you would appreciate, this is my first substantive address as Minister of Energy and Resources.

I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity, as I am quickly coming to the view that this is one of the most exciting and challenging portfolios in Government.

Let me be candid.

I don’t have the same level of expertise that many of you here have.

  • Simon Bridges
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has announced three appointments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

Tom Campbell has been appointed Chair of the Authority. Mr Campbell has had a long-standing interest in improving energy efficiency from roles at Rio Tinto, including as Managing Director (NZ and UK) of Comalco and General Manager of the Tiwai Smelter.

He is Chair of Crown research institute GNS Science and a director of Todd Corporation, PowerNet, Electricity Invercargill and the New Zealand Standards Council.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

Welcome to the Block Offer 2012 Awards Ceremony.

It’s a great pleasure to be hosting this event to award the permits from the Government’s first annual Block Offer. 

In August last year we announced the move to an annual block offer process and the abolition of the Priority in Time permits.

Block Offer 2012 areas have now been consulted on, tendered, carefully considered, and today, permits are being awarded to the strongest bids and to those companies most capable of delivering their proposed work programmes. 

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

We are very fortunate in New Zealand to have an abundance of energy and minerals resources.

These provide us with unique opportunities to grow our economy, ensure we have a secure supply of affordable energy, and respond to the global challenge of climate change. 

The oil and gas sector is already a major contributor to our economy. It’s our fourth-largest export and directly and indirectly supports around 7,700 jobs.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

Investment in oil and gas exploration will receive a significant boost with the award of 10 exploration permits, announced by Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today.

Seven of the 10 Block Offer 2012 permits are in the Taranaki Basin, two in the Pegasus Basin and one in the Great South Basin. The permits are equally divided between onshore and offshore areas.

“Strong interest in the Block Offer 2012 permitting round proves that New Zealand is a key destination for both domestic and international investment in oil and gas exploration.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

  • Bill English
  • Steven Joyce
  • David Carter
  • Amy Adams
  • Phil Heatley
  • Finance
  • Economic Development
  • Primary Industries
  • Environment
  • Energy and Resources

The North Island Grid Upgrade Project will ensure New Zealand can keep up with growing electricity demand by providing a new power link into Auckland, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

A new overhead transmission line between Whakamaru, north of Taupo, and Auckland, was officially switched on by Prime Minister John Key today, signifying the completion of the $824 million upgrade project.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

When the National-led Government came into office it was well known that the country’s housing stock was under par. There was ample and growing evidence that this was impacting on New Zealanders’ health and well-being, not to mention their power bills.  Something had to be done, and we did it.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

The Government insulation programme Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart has reached its original target of insulating 188,500 homes – ahead of schedule and below budget, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

“This successful programme has directly improved the living conditions of many thousands of New Zealanders,” he said.

“Better home insulation has a really significant effect on health and well-being.

“The programme has also supported manufacturing in New Zealand and created jobs.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Environment Minister Amy Adams have welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s interim report on her investigation into hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The interim report finds that the environmental risks associated with fracking can be effectively managed, providing that the best operational practices are implemented and enforced through regulation.

  • Amy Adams
  • Phil Heatley
  • Environment
  • Energy and Resources

Cabinet has approved further changes to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill currently before the Commerce Committee, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

A Supplementary Order Paper recommends changes to current legislation to strengthen the Bill in light of the report of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

The Royal Commission’s report endorses the proposals being progressed through the current review of the Crown Minerals Regime and reflected in the Bill being considered by the Commerce Committee.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

I’m very pleased to be invited to jointly open this very first six-star Best Home - thank you.

We’re all familiar with the expression “five-star” meaning excellent, top of the line, but you don’t hear “six-star” very often!

This fantastic house, New Zealand’s first under the Best Home trademark, demonstrates that a house earning six stars for its energy efficiency can be built for only about 5 per cent more than the standard cost and certainly not the 20 per cent or so more that people think. 

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources

It hardly needs to be said that it’s a sad comment on our society that a service like Women’s Refuge is needed. 

But needed it is, and what a fantastic job you do. I’m in awe of the level of commitment and the depth of the work you do supporting women and children getting out of terrifying situations, the worst kind of crises. I’m proud that Housing is able to be a part of that.

The corporation worked closely with Te Whari Tiaki Wahine Refuge to find a replacement refuge around the Titahi Bay/Porirua/Whitby areas when it was needed.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources
  • Housing

Gas consumers are better informed and supply contracts are becoming more customer-friendly, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

An independent assessment looking at 10 contracts from seven gas suppliers has found a majority of contracts were well aligned with benchmarks in the Gas Industry Company’s Retail Gas Contracts Oversight Scheme. The Gas Industry Company is the gas industry’s co-regulatory body.

  • Phil Heatley
  • Energy and Resources