The Government may be open to oil and gas exploration continuing in the next parliamentary term.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods said today that the Government was deferring making decisions on the future of onshore oil and gas exploration.

Megan Woods also said that she isn't committing to any further block offers and will revisit this issue in the next parliamentary term, where there will be a better evidence base for future demand.

Political editor Barry Soper says it's unlikely there will be much interest at this stage, as most companies would have shut down oil and gas exploration in New Zealand a long time ago.

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The Government may be open to oil and gas exploration continuing in the next parliamentary term.
Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods said today that the Government was deferring making decisions on the future of onshore oil and gas exploration.
Megan Woods also said that she isn't committing to any further block offers and will revisit this issue in the next parliamentary term, where there will be a better evidence base for future demand.
Political editor Barry Soper says it's unlikely there will be much interest at this stage, as most companies would have shut down oil and gas exploration in New Zealand a long time ago.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Barry Soper: political editor on the Government making decisions on oil and gas exploration

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 15 April.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 15 April. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 15 April 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3540b8e8-7618-42f0-bebd-b42d0076b257/transcript

If you haven’t watched the Bunnings video yet showing its staff being attacked, I recommend you go and watch it - especially if you feel uneasy about the company using CCTV for facial recognition. It’s a compilation of incidents that have occurred in its stores.

The first incident shows a man pulling a knife on a staff member and threatening them so he can walk out the door with two trolleys’ worth of stolen goods. That happened at the Porirua store.

The next incident shows a man holding a box who runs at and knocks over a staff member, while another man behind him tries to steal a second box. That happened at the Takanini store.

The incident I found hardest to watch is a man approaching a staff member at their car in a mostly empty car park. He sidles up to them, then smacks them in the head when they’re not expecting it. He then chases the staff member as they run away and trip because they are so frightened.

Now, let’s be clear about what’s going on here - Bunnings is releasing this video as part of a PR campaign. It’s trying to convince us that it needs to use facial recognition technology in two of its Hamilton stores.

What blows my mind is that it has to go to these lengths. It's been trialling facial recognition since 2018. It's fought its way through a tribunal process in Australia. It's had the Privacy Commissioner here, and the equivalent over the ditch, watching them. It's engaged a Māori digital sovereignty expert. It's released at least two of these video compilations.

And all of this, so far in New Zealand, is just for permission to operate in two stores. Not all stores - just two. Two Hamilton stores.

That’s because there are still enough people worried that Bunnings will take our biometric data and sell it, lose it or wrongly deny entry to some innocent person.

I would have thought this was a slam dunk. I would have thought the answer would be: yes, absolutely - go ahead and use facial recognition if that’s what you need to do to keep your staff safe.

Because sure, something might go wrong one day with the CCTV. But go and watch those videos. Things are going wrong right now.

LISTEN ABOVE

If you haven’t watched the Bunnings video yet showing its staff being attacked, I recommend you go and watch it - especially if you feel uneasy about the company using CCTV for facial recognition. It’s a compilation of incidents that have occurred in its stores.
The first incident shows a man pulling a knife on a staff member and threatening them so he can walk out the door with two trolleys’ worth of stolen goods. That happened at the Porirua store.
The next incident shows a man holding a box who runs at and knocks over a staff member, while another man behind him tries to steal a second box. That happened at the Takanini store.
The incident I found hardest to watch is a man approaching a staff member at their car in a mostly empty car park. He sidles up to them, then smacks them in the head when they’re not expecting it. He then chases the staff member as they run away and trip because they are so frightened.
Now, let’s be clear about what’s going on here - Bunnings is releasing this video as part of a PR campaign. It’s trying to convince us that it needs to use facial recognition technology in two of its Hamilton stores.
What blows my mind is that it has to go to these lengths.&nbsp;It's been trialling facial recognition since 2018. It's fought its way through a tribunal process in Australia. It's had the Privacy Commissioner here, and the equivalent over the ditch, watching them. It's engaged a Māori digital sovereignty expert. It's released at least two of these video compilations.
And all of this, so far in New Zealand, is just for permission to operate in two stores. Not all stores - just two. Two Hamilton stores.
That’s because there are still enough people worried that Bunnings will take our biometric data and sell it, lose it or wrongly deny entry to some innocent person.
I would have thought this was a slam dunk.&nbsp;I would have thought the answer would be: yes, absolutely - go ahead and use facial recognition if that’s what you need to do to keep your staff safe.
Because sure, something might go wrong one day with the CCTV.&nbsp;But go and watch those videos.&nbsp;Things are going wrong right now.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Bunnings needed to prioritise staff safety here

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/8dd756d2-71a6-4367-9358-b42d0077105e/transcript

A Kiwi startup designed around rethinking the way we sleep is getting international recognition.

Do Not Disturb Sleep Company, an Auckland manufacturer of premium sleep products, has secured a multi-million-dollar distribution, sales, and marketing agreement in the US.

Founder Chris Larcombe says the brand's grown and evolved over the years, and this is great news.

LISTEN ABOVE

A Kiwi startup designed around rethinking the way we sleep is getting international recognition.
Do Not Disturb Sleep Company, an Auckland manufacturer of premium sleep products, has secured a multi-million-dollar distribution, sales, and marketing agreement in the US.
Founder Chris Larcombe says the brand's grown and evolved over the years, and this is great news.
LISTEN ABOVE

Chris Larcombe: Do Not Disturb Sleep Company founder on the company securing a multi-million dollar deal in the US

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d8ab6b51-279f-41ab-9f27-b42d0072c212/transcript

Barry Soper: political editor on the Government making decisions on oil and gas exploration

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