1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Juesday morning, Crystal Luxon joins us morning. 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 2: To you, good morning today. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Very well, indeed, give us the what I didn't get 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: out of your press conference yesterday. This business of LNG 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: and clearing the regulation that Simming and kept talking about 6 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,239 Speaker 1: in the winter of twenty five. Why don't we just 7 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 1: speak English? Why does it take you twelve months to 8 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: clear red tape and regulation to bring a bit of 9 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: gas into the country. 10 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: Well, I think I'll be faster than one year. There's 11 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 2: two parts to it. Most of the time, frankly, is 12 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: getting it's quite complex time to get the engineering in place, 13 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: whether it's put into a port, whether it's actually put 14 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: into an offshore you know, a place that can pipe 15 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 2: it in from a ship. So you know there's actually 16 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 2: an engineering solution that takes a little bit of time 17 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: to get right. Well, we're working now with the Guess 18 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: Industry Company and that basically has to get all the 19 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 2: regulations cleaned up so we can then push it through 20 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: Parliament and get the legislation sorted in less than six months. 21 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: And then what we do from there is in get 22 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: obviously into the engineering solution and get it in place 23 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: next year. So you know that's really important because you know, 24 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 2: as you know, we've just had a massive you know 25 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: less loss of you know, a guess a New Zealand. 26 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, indeed, and this was not to properly yesterday either. 27 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: Once you get LNG into the country, does that, given 28 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: the infrastructural issues concerned, does that then become a permanent 29 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: and ongoing part of the supply mix. 30 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: Could well be. But what we also hope overturning the 31 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: oil and gas band is that will get local exploration 32 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: happening as well. But at the moment, the global spot 33 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: price for LNG would be cheaper over so the editors 34 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: and local domestic spot price for gas. Obviously there's such 35 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: a shortage of it here in New Zealand, so we 36 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: want to have that flexibility and that security by actually 37 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: having an ability to import LNG in fifty countries do 38 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 2: around the world. We shouldn't have to because frankly, we've 39 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 2: got gas here in New Zealand that we should be. 40 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: Able to pull out domestically, do you Because part of 41 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: the counter argument on gas is yes, I know labor, 42 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: I get all of that, and I understand it, but 43 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of exploration up until that point, 44 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: and not a lot of gas found. 45 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I just say like that before the gas band 46 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: have and I think it was like eighty eight thousand 47 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 2: square kilometers of exploration acreage under permit day. You know, 48 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 2: it's only six thousand, and there's been a massive you 49 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: know with that band that's had very much in an 50 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: effect where if you're a potential global investor wanting to 51 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 2: do exploration New Zealand, you hear the band, you say, 52 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: all cheap as I'm out of here, I'll go to 53 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 2: one of the other countries around the world that actually 54 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 2: wants me. And actually, to be honest, my insidda, when 55 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 2: I sat down with the investors, high energy prices was 56 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 2: one of the major concerns of potential international investors into 57 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 2: New Zealand as well. So yeah, I don't buy that argument. 58 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 2: We should be exploring as much domestic gas as we 59 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: possibly can and also have the flexibility to import it 60 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 2: when we desperately need it, and that as an option. 61 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: So the point turn all the taps on. 62 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: The only point I'm making is exploring, isn't finding. Exploring 63 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: is just looking. 64 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: Sure, But I think when you've sent the message pretty 65 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 2: chaostically into an international investor market, to say yeah, we 66 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 2: don't really like you and or oil and gas exploration. 67 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: There's plenty of other countries to go do that when 68 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: you've got choices, and we've got to make the environment 69 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 2: to give people confidence to do that. And that's why 70 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: we are changing those settings, setting them out so that 71 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 2: people can come in and actually have confidence that they're 72 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 2: not going to be disrupted and have the whole world 73 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 2: turned upside down on them again. 74 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 1: Okay, and given you guys went to some great lens, 75 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: particularly swimming, and to say this is a supply side issue, 76 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 1: increase the supply will solve the problem. Does that then 77 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: mean you're comfortable with the Gen Taylor mix. In other words, 78 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: they're not gouging, they're not robber barons that if you 79 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: get supply it will solve the problem. 80 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I mean he's going to look into that now. 81 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: There's some work being done now, I think by the 82 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: Commerce Commission as well as the work that he wants 83 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: to do to make sure we've got the settings right. 84 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: But I agree with him, but it is definitely a 85 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: supply problem. I mean, when you kill gas and we 86 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: live in a country that is in a record dry year, 87 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: you've got to have gas for decades. I mean that 88 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: is reality. It's a transitionary fuel source for us. Until 89 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: we double the amount of renewables, that'd be great. We've 90 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: got to do that, and we also have to have gas. 91 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 2: So it's really just opening up all the taps as 92 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: much as possible, throw the kitchen sink at it, and 93 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: do everything we can to get abundant, affordable energy in 94 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: place in New Zealand. I mean, there's no reason why 95 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: we shouldn't, and we have plenty of natural resources in 96 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: this country. 97 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: Are you active enough as a shareholder with the Gen 98 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: Taylors or not? 99 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think we are, and I think you an 100 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: I on their level of profitability, But they also need 101 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: confidence to invest because we want them and I know 102 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 2: they will huge amounts of capital on actually doubling that 103 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: renewable electricity in GS thermal and wind and solar and 104 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: all the stuff that needs to happen. So, as I said, 105 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: it is about making sure that we're giving people confidence, 106 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: and that's what the announcement was about yesterday, was to 107 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: say to many of those international investors who want to 108 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: do the offshore engineering solution for LNG importation, who want 109 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: to do exploration for gas who actually want to know 110 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 2: that I can go a huge number of the projects 111 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: that Chris Bishop's looking at on the fast track approvals 112 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: that people who want to do renewable projects, but actually 113 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: the consenting times insane. It's absolutely insane. So let's change 114 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: the rules, can extend the consents. 115 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: All that good stuff on the fast trike whind you 116 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: back down on the ministerial sign of. 117 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's just sort of trying to find 118 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 2: the balance to sort of say that makes it certainly 119 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: a lot less legally complex, but it won't slow it 120 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: down because there was always going to a panel before 121 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: it would come to a minister anyway. And now that 122 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: panel actually does the reviewer makes the decisions, and I 123 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 2: think we've sort of got the balance right between the 124 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: one stop shop nature of it, where you deal with 125 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 2: all the legislation and you consent not just resource management, 126 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 2: you know, if it's got a wildlife impact or something 127 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: else that's dealt with, and it gives the public some 128 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 2: confidence the process is fair and we actually get the 129 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: projects built. 130 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: Wuld you check it out? 131 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: But no, not at all. We always said we'd take 132 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: some sensible changes, so that that change. I think is 133 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 2: a sensible change where it actually you know, we everyone 134 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: get confidence in the process that it's going to be 135 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: fair and straight. It'll be quick, and the panels have 136 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 2: to prioritize the economic consider just for. 137 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: People who were moaning yesterday were the same people moaning previously. 138 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: You're never going to make them happy. Gary Taylor of 139 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: the Environmental see that he doesn't like it. I mean, 140 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 1: you build a bridge, he hates you. Squash a froggy 141 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: hates you. That's who they are. So whether the minister 142 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 1: takes it off or a panel are making any difference. 143 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: Well, I mean the key thing is we've just turned 144 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: this place into obstruction economy. So we've got to get 145 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 2: things moving and it will be a game change it 146 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 2: And I appreciate there's lots of people protests to your 147 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 2: places I go to and it's all very interesting, but 148 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 2: we are down. We'll going to get things built and 149 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: so we've got the balance right here. And yes we've 150 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 2: made a change around panel versus ministerial decision making, but 151 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, it's just that unblocking 152 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: the system getting moving for goodness. 153 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: Sake, Okay, nurses, I asked Chris Bishop. He didn't know, 154 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: but I watched this job fair over the weekend. Here 155 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of unemployed nurses turn up. 156 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: They're immigrants. They arrive in the country with a visa 157 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: because we're desperately short of nurses. They can't get a 158 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: job because no one's employing nurses. How is there such 159 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: a chronic mismatch between the visas we're handing out and 160 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: the jobs we're not giving. 161 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, So on nurses for back up a little bit, 162 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: because it has changed from sort of how it was 163 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 2: in the last few years. There's actually been a massive 164 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: improvement and nurse recruitment. We've got over I think it's 165 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 2: twenty nine thousand nurses in the system now and make 166 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: sure a five thousand nurses from we had last year. 167 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 2: So we've actually been able to recruit a lot of nurses. 168 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 2: We've also had less attrition and we've had a lot 169 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: less vacancies. All the vacancies have been dropping. So the 170 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 2: international nurses that came in under the previous governments opened 171 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: green list for general nurses that basically the other folk 172 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: that you're talking about, there's still got to be a 173 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: role for them. We've got to find a role for 174 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: them because we're still short and specialist areas and regional 175 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 2: New Zealand in different places. But we also have got 176 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: a huge emphasis and a good quantity coming through of 177 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: home grid nurses. That has to be our priority in 178 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 2: this case as well. So we still need specialist areas, 179 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: general nurses and specialist areas which we hope to be 180 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 2: able to deliver, but we also need some very specialist 181 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 2: nurses in general, which is why they still stay on 182 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: our green list in that way. But the problem that 183 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 2: you know when we opened it in green list under 184 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: the previous administration, we've brought in a whole lot of 185 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 2: general news as well. Actually, we've done a very good 186 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: job of recruitment, particularly in the last nine months or twelve. 187 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: Months quickly on the Pacific where you're heading today. The 188 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: alban Eazy idea to run the specific policing initiative. Are 189 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: we on board with it? Do we like it? And 190 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: is it to quill China? 191 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 2: Well, look at very supportive you know, well, I'm very 192 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: supportive of it. We'll obviously talk more about it in 193 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: the week, but you know, we have a theorius of 194 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 2: policing programs both Australia and New Zealand, often jointly, often 195 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 2: separately with individual Pacific countries for many years. We actually 196 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 2: think it's important that the Pacific country chiefs of police 197 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: sort of collectively can build their policing capability. You're seeing 198 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: it now, you know, you saw it when I went, 199 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: when I went to Fiji. You know, a year's worth 200 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: of messam htamine stored in the ocean, floating in the 201 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 2: ocean off the coast of Fiji going into Australia. A 202 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 2: whole year supply for Australian drug trade. We've got a 203 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 2: big problem with transnational crime, drugs, narcotics. And yes, we 204 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 2: want to work with like minded countries in the Pacific 205 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 2: on issues of policing and security. 206 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: All right, go, well, appreciate it very much. Christ But 207 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: lux In Prime Minister off to the Pacific island Befohim 208 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: before he comes back on Sunday, then flicks back up 209 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: to Malaysia, which means I don't think he's going to 210 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: be with us next week. For more from the Mic 211 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks. It'd be from 212 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.