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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Frank Newman: Oil, gas, cheese and scones


This week I had the good fortune to spend a few days in New Plymouth. It’s a fairly long trip so I had plenty of time to contemplate what I would find on arrival. It’s an oil town, of course – right in the heart of the oil and gas fields on and off-shore Taranaki.
Being one who does listen to the news and therefore inescapably the spin coming out of the Green Party and its activist networks, I had expected to see oil rigs blotting the landscape and contaminated waterways and beaches. I didn’t. What I did see was a prosperous community doing well on the back of the oil industry.

I have no doubt had oil and gas not been discovered and extracted, New Plymouth would be just another remote provincial town struggling to get by on primary produce, forestry, and whatever else it can do; much like Gisborne, Southland, or Northland.
The fact is a lot of oil money has gone into the community and into local infrastructure, including community infrastructure like the waterfront walkway and various art centres. They have turned what is a naturally inhospitable and wild West Coast habitat into a wonderful asset for visitors and locals.
That does not mean to say every community is benefiting from oil money. Some of the old-time townships in Taranaki are struggling – places like Eltham some 30 minutes to the south.
Today the town’s main employers are the Mainland speciality cheese factory and the Riverlands freezing works. According to the town’s official website, it’s most recent claim to fame was back in 2010 when the locals baked the world’s largest scone (121kg). I can honestly report there was no sign of the scone when I passed through and those that were available in the local bakery could be measures in grams not kilos.
One can imagine it as a prosperous township in a former era. Everything about the place has a 1930s feel about it and it was not hard to picture streets bustling with gents with waistcoats with fob watches and ladies wearing feathered hats.
Most of the former elegant buildings have succumbed to age and inattention and those that have been restored stand out as symbols of individual idealism rather than commercial reality.  Without an economic reason for being, many of the town folk have moved on to a place where there is work, taking with them the human spirit that gave the town a more energetic life.

Perhaps we here in the North should learn some lessons from New Plymouth and Eltham. The world does not owe us a living, and will not give one to us without asking for something in return. That’s why we should embrace very opportunity available to us – including exploiting whatever oil and mining reserves may exist – and encouraging those brave enough to start up a new business to do so. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I am sure the power company at Fukushima built some real nice walkways and parks on the waterfront as well Frank. Do us all a favour and travel there and take a walk around will you.
The Japanese have a car running around on water. Any idea why you might not have heard about it? Have a look at cars and trucks running on water,including the Japanese one,on youtube. Even if just one of them has done it there is your new business opportunity. You are part of the alternative news folks try and act like one will you.

Anonymous said...

The Greens helped by a left leaning media are having a field day spreading disinformation regarding the off shore search for oil.
Fact is we need oil if we expect a good 1st world health system, education, and quality of life being enjoyed by the 'professional activists' sailing around the drilling ships using (gasp) oil. using plastics and machinery all derived from fossil fuels.
Every action carry's a risk same as me typing this, my computer may malfunction and electrocute me and I dare not step outside in case that tree falls on me or a meteor fall on my head.
I think its best summed up when one of those Green Peace activists said, (speaking of the oil ships) 'this is typical of multinational capitalist business'. Its more about the hate for all things capitalist the USA and business that dare make a dreaded profit. It shows up the true agenda, that is a socialist one or a hate for the western way of life and anyone who has made anything of their lives.

Anonymous said...

No one has a car that runs on water. There are cars that run on Hydrogen that is extracted from water but the electricity used costs more than it would to run the car on petrol. There is no free lunch. For the best info on this check out "Billings Energy"
Laurence