[Crimson Dynamo]

Former WOKE PM’s exploration ban was ‘worst energy decision’ in country’s
history, minister says



The country’s government voted on Thursday to overturn the ban, with
Shane Jones, the resources minister, arguing that climate change was
“largely moral hysteria”.

He said overturning the ban would stoke investment in petroleum exploration
and help ease winter energy supply issues.

Mr Jones said: in a statement: “The ill-fated exploration ban in 2018 has
exacerbated shortages in our domestic gas supply by obliterating new
investment.”

Ms Ardern – who led the country between 2017 and 2023 – banned new
offshore exploration in 2018, citing New Zealand’s “clean, green and
sustainable future”.

Jones described the exploration ban as “the worst energy [and] natural
resource decision” in New Zealand’s history.

“We are not going to ... corrode the productivity of our economy by denying
ourselves access to fossil fuels,” he said.

“The high tide mark of that heresy has come and gone.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-ne...acinda-ardern/

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