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I am delighted to be addressing you as Energy Minister as I understand just how vital this portfolio – including your part in it – is to our New Zealand way of life.

Electricity is fundamental to our well being and necessary to our economic success. As trustees of distribution companies you are the stewards of this important sector.

For many decades the electricity industry was largely stable and secure with little change. 

It’s a pleasure to welcome you all to New Plymouth in the Taranaki province, the heart of oil and gas production in New Zealand.

Although I’m relatively new as Energy and Resources Minister, I’m very enthusiastic about the future of this dynamic and extremely productive industry.

I’d particularly like to acknowledge PEPANZ for organising the conference, and our international guests for showing their interest this year. I hope you enjoy your time in New Zealand.

Industry downturn

Good morning and welcome everyone. Thank you for inviting me to your Downstream 2017 conference.

Having an affordable and secure supply of energy underpins everything we do- from the economic viability of our businesses, to the well-being of our households, to our individual quality of life.

At the same time, it is striking, coming into this industry, to see the amount and the rate of change you are experiencing now, and are likely to experience in the coming years.

Technological and consumer changes

Energy and Environment Plenary

I’d like to start by acknowledging:

It’s a pleasure to be here at the 2016 AusIMM New Zealand Annual Conference – my fourth since becoming Energy and Resources Minister - and to share in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the formation of the New Zealand Branch.

I would like to acknowledge AusIMM President, Rex Berthelsen, CEO Michael Catchpole and New Zealand Chair Rene Sterk. Thank you for the invitation and my sincere congratulations on your five-decade long contribution to New Zealand mining.

Good morning.

It is a pleasure to be back at the Petroleum Conference.

I’d particularly like to welcome our international guests - I hope you have a wonderful time in New Zealand.

Let me start by acknowledging the challenging operating environment the industry is facing at the moment.

You have been through this before - oil prices were around $12 a barrel in the late 1990s - but the current price is a massive drop from what it has been for most of the last decade.

Good morning everyone.

It is a pleasure to be here at the Asia Pacific Energy Leaders’ Summit.

Again, can I please acknowledge:

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It’s a pleasure to be at Downstream 2016 this morning.

It’s an exciting and challenging time to be in the energy sector – both in New Zealand and globally.

Technological transformation, changing consumer preferences, a growing international focus on the critical role energy plays in business competitiveness, volatile fossil fuel prices and the need to transition to lower emissions economies all form part of this heady international context.

Good morning.  It’s my pleasure to host you in Parliament for this morning’s Block Offer awards for 2015.

It is clear that this has been a challenging year for the sector.  New Zealand has, along with the rest of the world, felt the ramifications of the global commodity price, which has been lower for longer as a result of increased supply and decreased demand.

Good morning everyone.

Transitioning to a low carbon economy and making the most of technology are significant themes in both my energy and transport portfolios.

New Zealand faces transport and energy challenges.  We want to continue to grow our economy and help New Zealanders to prosper. This means we need secure and affordable energy, and a transport system that meets people’s needs. At the same time, we have to reduce our carbon emissions.

Good morning everyone, and thanks for the opportunity to present to you today. I’d like to start by talking a little about the role Government plays in ensuring the safe, efficient and reliable supply of transport fuels, minimising barriers to competition, and promoting a competitive market.

Of course, environmental outcomes are also very important.

Government’s role

As Energy Ministers, the delivery of resilient energy infrastructure is at the heart of what we do.

Climate-proofing that infrastructure is an increasingly important part of that work as we seek to understand the growing uncertainties and challenges presented by climate change and extreme weather events.

In New Zealand, the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake was a stark reminder of the devastating impact a natural disaster can have.  Here in the Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc just two years ago.

Thank you all for having me here this morning to address you for the first time at your annual conference.

Smart Technology

I wanted to start by talking a little about smart technology and the increasingly important role is will play in your sector.

This is a time of great opportunity for New Zealand’s electricity sector and I commend the ENA for its efforts to promote greater innovation in New Zealand’s electricity market.

It’s good to be back at the Minerals West Coast Forum to speak to you all again.

This is the third time I have spoken at the forum and it’s a special privilege to be here to mark the 150th year of mining on the West Coast. This region was founded on mining and the industry has a rich history which we should celebrate.

Let me begin by saying again how important the minerals industry is to the Government and to New Zealand.

Minerals make an important contribution to our economy

Good morning and welcome to the World Geothermal Congress. It is a real pleasure to be here and I’m sure that, like me, you are all looking forward to a fascinating few days.

In recent years we’ve heard a lot about the idea of an 'energy trilemma'.  As the World Energy Council puts it, we need to balance the tensions between the need for energy reliability and security, society’s need for accessible and affordable energy, and the need for environmental sustainability.

Good morning,

It is great to be with you today and can I warmly welcome our international guests. May you have a wonderful time in New Zealand.

Over the last couple of years we’ve been hearing a lot about the idea of an 'energy trilemma'.  As the World Energy Council puts it, we need to balance the tensions between the need for energy security, society’s need for accessible and affordable energy, and the need for environmental sustainability.

It’s great to be back at this conference and to be New Zealand’s Energy Minister for a third year.

Time flies when you’re having fun – and it’s been a real privilege working in such an exciting sector that is always changing and is enhancing New Zealanders lives and lifestyles in new and exciting ways.

Policy continuity and Competition

Good morning.

As Minister of Energy and Resources, it’s my pleasure to welcome and host you here, in Parliament, this morning to award permits for the Government’s Block Offer 2014.

We are here today because New Zealand has a petroleum potential that needs to be better understood. 

The oil and gas industry is already a vital part of the New Zealand economy.  Oil is our fourth largest commodity export after dairy, meat and wood, and oil and gas combined contribute more than $2.7 billion to GDP each year.