A petition calling on the Government to take action and keep the Marsden Point Oil Refinery operating has topped 10,000 signatures.
It calls on the Government to declare the refinery a strategic asset and keep it operating so it has the capability to refine the fuels needed to keep the essential services operating in a crisis.
Started by Chris Leitch of the Social Credit Party, it’s also asking the Government to turn the refinery into a state-owned enterprise.
In the event of a natural disaster or a geopolitical conflict the shipping routes to New Zealand could be cut off and the supply of fuel to major sectors of our economy severely compromised, it says.
“If that were to happen the refinery could process crude from Taranaki to enable emergency and rescue services, farm equipment for food production, transport to deliver food to supermarkets, and essential air and sea transport to continue to operate.
“Those essential services could still function and ensure the country did not face an entire shutdown.
“The current level four lockdown, and transport access problems when the Ashburton bridge was closed a couple of months ago shows the potential havoc that arises when supermarkets are closed and food supplies run short and a lack of transport caused by fuel shortages would make the situation many times worse,” it says
The refinery could become a wholesaler of fuel selling at a common price, allowing smaller retail operators to enter the market and provide real competition at the pump, it says.
Around 600 jobs will be lost if the refining operation shuts down with many of those people being forced to look for jobs overseas with the consequent loss of yet more expertise and knowledge to New Zealand, it says.
*Go to change.org/Save-the-Refinery for more information.
