Two of New Zealand’s main transport unions are urging the Marsden Point refinery be returned to functioning status, if necessary through Government ownership.
The Maritime Union of New Zealand and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union together represent thousands of workers in the ports, shipping and rail sectors.
The privately owned Marsden Point facility ceased refining crude oil earlier this year but is still intact and is being modified into a storage facility.
Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson says the closure of Marsden Point refining operations has left New Zealand exposed.
He says the closure was driven by the short term interests of fuel companies who owned the refinery, and has undermined fuel security for New Zealand.
Ironically, profits for fuel companies from fuel refining have soared this year.
Mr Butson says Marsden Point could be upgraded to refine New Zealand produced crude oil, and this could keep essential services functioning in the case of emergency.
He says both Unions have actively promoted rail and shipping transport modes, which are comparatively low emission.
“We need low emission transport and decarbonization, but we also need fuel security in the short to medium term transition period.”
Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says the volatility of global fuel prices and supply chains are making the closure of the refinery look even more of a bad idea.
“Supply chain disruption is the new normal and ongoing COVID, global conflict and security threats means New Zealand is dangerously exposed.”
He says New Zealand is now completely dependent on imported refined fuel being shipped into New Zealand ports by overseas tankers.
Two New Zealand flagged and crewed tankers were taken out of service recently due to the shutdown of Marsden Point refinery, further reducing New Zealand’s fuel security.
“Our fuel reserves are small compared to many other countries and from what we have seen in the last couple of years, the supply chain is very vulnerable to shocks.”
The serious situation being faced in Europe due to disruption of gas supplies from Russia was a warning of how quickly events could unfold, he says.
Mr Harrison says there are a number of potential options, including part or full Government ownership of the refinery.
He says the Australian Government had kept two Australian refineries open by underwriting them, which was a specific response intended to ensure fuel security.
13 Responses
Yes so glad that someone is using common sense here.we need to be drilling for oil and gas also mining for coal and not be so reliant on overseas imported low grade oil.We also had the best crude oil for aviation fuel now apparently I heard through the grapevine that the aviation fuel frm Asia is blocking filters when they unload it.glad that no planes have fallen from the Skies YET !!!!!
No one needs a geography lesson to realise we are more vulnerable than ever to economic collapse because of fuel shortages which will increase costs across the board unless we restart Marsden point and start refining our own fuel, why import all our fuel when we should be mining our own oil and refining it.
More jobs cheaper transport , state owned enterprise there’s an idea.
Could not agree more.
Yes the CLOSURE of MARSDEN POINT OIL REFINERY has Great issues than just the Fact That NZ is Now TOTALLY RELIANT on IMPORTED FUEL’S from Several Asian Refineries! There Now Several other Products which were Extracted from The Refining Process at MARSDEN POINT
#1 CO2 Carbon Dioxide used in Food Packaging, making of Fizzy Drink’s & Plant production in Glasshouses!
#2 Sulphur used for the Production of Fertilizers used on NZ Farms!
#3 BITUMEN used to make ASPHALT which has been IMPORTED for Over 18 Months COSTING 3 TIME’S The PRICE & of POOR QUALITY Hence So MANY POTHOLES around NZ!
With The Increases of Imported Diesel Fuel this will Start Effecting the COST’S too Farmer’s too Grow & Harvest Our Food, Plus Slow Down EXPORTS of Dairy & Log’s Required to Balance The NZ Book’s!
The Transport Operator’s are starting to Feel The EFFECTS of Increasing FUEL PRICE’S hence many are looking at Closing Down as The Large Super Market’s & Chain Store’s Don’t Want too Pay The Increased PRICE’S!
New Zealand is Heading in a Very Bad Direction!
One way around this is for Average Kiwi’s too Buy Shares in Channel Infrastructure & Force The 3 Oil Giants BP, Mobil & ( “Z Energy” which is Now TOTALLY Owned by Ampol Oil Australia) New Zealand Shareholders Need to Take Back Control of The MARSDEN POINT Facility & Reinstate NZ REFINING COMPANY!
I’ve already Brought a small parcel of Share’s so I can have my say & I Encourage Other Kiwi’s too do The same !
Chees & GOD Bless
Karl Barkley
Engineer Farmer
I have bought 102 shares and two of my friends are buying shares in marsden point to help keep it in nz hands.
Keep the refinery and start up your engibes
This should have been Fort for in 2021 but mandate covid took over government did not look at the big picture or our future.
Good stuff, how you can gain momentum
Should never have been sold in the first place thanks to a national government Yes get it going again
YES I Agree Foolish Move on Government doing what it did
Fully support NZ being independent again. This govt is too short sighted and has no back up plan in place.
Closing Marsden Point was stupid. The dumbest thing a govt has ever allowed to happen. It seems the labour govt have conveniently forgotten history. The lessons learnt after ww2 and the oil shocks of the 70s have been dismissed. Total incompetence at the highest level. NZ may pay a price in the near future. If China have a crack at Taiwan , this will close the shipping lanes down and NZ will be up shit creek. I recall Helen Clark saying on television , I find it inconceivable that a war could break out in the modern day. Well Hello !! what do we have now, Ukraine & Russia. There are still plenty of dictators on this piece of dirt to warrant the retention of a strategic oil refinery such as Marsden Point.
The current government has a lot to answer for. Instead of the social engineering they are attempting, wasting billions of taxpayer money they should be focusing on the core services .… Infrastructure.
The government at all times should be in control of all levels of Energy Infrastructure — that is Fuel Supply, Power Generation and Transmission to major centers. Then you have Railway & Roads — anyone can operate them, but government MUST own them.
If the shareholders do not want to operate Marsden Point, then they should never have been allowed to dismantle it. The government should have taken control and nationised it as a critical resource. Forget paying them for it — just take it under the name of national security. The fuel companies already make obscene profits so they can be hit with higher company taxes too.