By 3news.co.nz staff
Gisborne-based Labour list MP Moana Mackey says New Zealand’s economic future does not lie in it being the “Texas of the South”, and renewable energy should be the country’s focus.
In a statement on the Labour website, Ms Mackey says yesterday’s revelation in the Sunday Star Times that US oil exploration company TAG Oil is informing investors of an “aggressive East Coast Basin programme”.
The company told investors the “East Coast Basin is literally leaking oil and gas” in a 28-page paper entitled TAG Oil: 2011 – A Record Year.
Ms Mackey says this shows National’s “‘drill it, mine it, sell it'” approach to economic development is well underway.
“This is not where New Zealand’s economic future lies. We need to be investing instead in renewable solutions,” she says.
“New Zealanders will be shocked by the extent of TAG’s plans for an ‘aggressive East Coast basin programme’ comprising thousands of oil wells and significant land purchases.
“This is the logical result of National’s laissez-faire approach to energy policy.
“As a Gisborne-based MP, I know how concerned communities up and down the East Coast are about any expansion of oil and gas exploration in our backyard, in particular the impact on our environment and our tourism industry. And who pays if something goes wrong?
“This is not a sustainable solution for the region’s economic development, but the National Government has no other plan.”
The Labour MP is also concerned about ‘fracking’, and wants to know whether this practice will form part of TAG Oil’s plans for the East Coast.
“An increasing number of governments around the world are reviewing or banning fracking because of concerns about the safety of the practice and in particular the impact on drinking water supplies.
“Labour has been calling for an inquiry into the practice of fracking in New Zealand so that these concerns can be fully investigated. Unfortunately the National Government continues to ignore public concerns about this controversial practice,” she says.
In yesterday’s Sunday Star Times story Labour MP Parekura Horomia, who holds the local Maori seat of Ikaroa-Rawhiti, said he was surprised at the extent of TAG Oil’s plans.
"This is about the third time I understand they have been through [to survey the area]," he said.
"It is a real clear issue for the iwi who are involved. Some people need to show their hand on what they are doing around this."
TAG Oil have already faced protests in New Zealand after drilling in the Taranaki Basin.
But in a July letter to shareholders the company said:
"Our excellent drilling success in the Taranaki Basin has encouraged TAG to aggressively move forward with further drilling that will commence in September 2011."
Since then they have controversially been awarded resource consent to build 18 new wells near the rural community of Ngaere, about 5km south of Stratford.
3 News