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February 25, 2015
No win for north in Statoil business case
Waatea Team
Posted On February 25, 2015
Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis says he can understand continuing concern in the north about Norwegian company Statoil’s plans to explore for oil and gas off Northland’s west coast.
Mr Davis says as someone who can whakapapa to Tohe he shares the kaiiaki responsibility to protect the coast named for his ancestor.
He says proponents of the scheme are selling it as being about jobs and boosting the economy, but he hasn’t seen a convincing business case.
"If there's a drilling rig off the Northland coast and it's only like 1300kms to New Plymouth, any ships will take their oil or whatever they extract – to New Plymouth. They're not going to build a whole new infrastructure in the north. There'll be jobs there in Taranaki and I'll be happy for those people, but I'm struggling to see whether jobs are going to be in the north," he says.
Kelvin Davis saysStatoil is trying to inform locals of its plans, but that’s not consultation because the outcome is already determined.
Copyright © 2015, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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