A poor gas outlook is seen as the main suspect for further job losses in manufacturing.

The country's largest gas user Methanex is proposing to move from two plants to one for the foreseeable future.

It comes after Winstone pulp confirmed plans to shut two mills to more than 200 workers earlier this week.

Former president and CEO of Methanex, Bruce Aitken told Mike Hosking we lack a long term, coherent energy strategy.

He says if you want to build power stations or wind farms, they take many years in planning and construction.

LISTEN ABOVE

A poor gas outlook is seen as the main suspect for further job losses in manufacturing. 
The country's largest gas user Methanex is proposing to move from two plants to one for the foreseeable future. 
It comes after Winstone pulp confirmed plans to shut two mills to more than 200 workers earlier this week. 
Former president and CEO of Methanex, Bruce Aitken told Mike Hosking we lack a long term, coherent energy strategy. 
He says if you want to build power stations or wind farms, they take many years in planning and construction. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Bruce Aitken: Former President and CEO of Methanex on the company potentially downsizing to one plant

New Zealand doesn’t seem to be the only country with a looming shortage of teachers.

The Teaching Council's highlighting data that shows the number of students graduating as teachers has dropped by more than a third.

Half as many people are signing up to become teachers as there were in 2010.

Secondary Principals Association President Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking he's been hearing similar reports overseas.

He says he's been told in Australia and the United Kingdom, exactly the same thing's happening.

LISTEN ABOVE

New Zealand doesn’t seem to be the only country with a looming shortage of teachers. 
The Teaching Council's highlighting data that shows the number of students graduating as teachers has dropped by more than a third. 
Half as many people are signing up to become teachers as there were in 2010. 
Secondary Principals Association President Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking he's been hearing similar reports overseas. 
He says he's been told in Australia and the United Kingdom, exactly the same thing's happening. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Vaughan Couillault: Secondary Principals Association President on the dropping number of people signing up to be teachers

Synlait could be going from the cream of the crop to skimming the edge of survival.

Shareholders of the dairy processor are gathering at its Dunsandel site today to vote on a proposed $218 million capital raise.

Board chair George Adams told Mike Hosking his confidence is high, and it would allow Synlait to move forward from the de-leveraging.

He says they'll then focus on drawing their farmers back and delivering good business.

If voted down, Synlait has warned it will end up in some sort of insolvency process.

LISTEN ABOVE

Synlait could be going from the cream of the crop to skimming the edge of survival. 
Shareholders of the dairy processor are gathering at its Dunsandel site today to vote on a proposed $218 million capital raise. 
Board chair George Adams told Mike Hosking his confidence is high, and it would allow Synlait to move forward from the de-leveraging. 
He says they'll then focus on drawing their farmers back and delivering good business. 
If voted down, Synlait has warned it will end up in some sort of insolvency process. 
LISTEN ABOVE

George Adams: Synlait Board Chair ahead of the vote on a proposed capital raise

The most telling part of the release of the draft of our critical minerals list is that we have never as a country developed a comprehensive picture of our mineral needs and weaknesses.

The obvious question is: why not?

Part of a strong resilient economy is when you do things yourself. As a small country we can't do everything because we don’t have domestic heft. We don’t have a natural domestic market for a lot of large-scale operations.

So, in some cases where we do things at scale, we sell it offshore. We are quite good at some of it, and farming would be an example.

But it is why we don't make cars. When we did it didn’t work financially so we are better off bringing them in.

But one of the great economic quandaries we have is a thing called a current account deficit. This shows we buy more stuff from the world than we sell to it.

That's not good.

We could mine more than we do. The fact that there are 35 minerals on the list, and by the way, the list doesn’t include coal or gold, means we have a lot of minerals.

Are we taking full advantage? Obviously not.

Could we? Why not?

Because a lot of people get angsty about mining.

But as the miners will tell you, it's an increasingly sophisticated industry that cleans up after itself in a completely different way from the old days.

Here is the simple truth - the world needs minerals. We need minerals the same way we need power to turn the lights on and our current predicament around generation and supply is all the evidence you need to know we should be prioritising jobs and costs of living over the ideology of renewables and conservation land.

Those opposed are often opposed no matter what. They aren't for turning. They think a fern and snail beats a job and power and that’s just the way they are.

They are allowed to be obsessed, but they shouldn't dictate economic travel.

Minerals are an income stream, a job stream, and a sensible, viable answer to a lot of economic problems.

The most telling part of the release of the draft of our critical minerals list is that we have never as a country developed a comprehensive picture of our mineral needs and weaknesses. 
The obvious question is: why not? 
Part of a strong resilient economy is when you do things yourself. As a small country we can't do everything because we don’t have domestic heft. We don’t have a natural domestic market for a lot of large-scale operations. 
So, in some cases where we do things at scale, we sell it offshore. We are quite good at some of it, and farming would be an example. 
But it is why we don't make cars. When we did it didn’t work financially so we are better off bringing them in. 
But one of the great economic quandaries we have is a thing called a current account deficit. This shows we buy more stuff from the world than we sell to it. 
That's not good. 
We could mine more than we do. The fact that there are 35 minerals on the list, and by the way, the list doesn’t include coal or gold, means we have a lot of minerals. 
Are we taking full advantage? Obviously not. 
Could we? Why not? 
Because a lot of people get angsty about mining. 
But as the miners will tell you, it's an increasingly sophisticated industry that cleans up after itself in a completely different way from the old days. 
Here is the simple truth - the world needs minerals. We need minerals the same way we need power to turn the lights on and our current predicament around generation and supply is all the evidence you need to know we should be prioritising jobs and costs of living over the ideology of renewables and conservation land. 
Those opposed are often opposed no matter what. They aren't for turning. They think a fern and snail beats a job and power and that’s just the way they are. 
They are allowed to be obsessed, but they shouldn't dictate economic travel. 
Minerals are an income stream, a job stream, and a sensible, viable answer to a lot of economic problems.

Bruce Aitken: Former President and CEO of Methanex on the company potentially downsizing to one plant

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