The Finance Minister says major gas user Methanex shutting up shop doesn't change the Government's argument for a Liquified Natural Gas terminal. 

The methanol producer is closing its Taranaki plant after more than 30 years. 

It cites the continued decline in domestic natural gas and no clear pathway to meaningful new supply. 

Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they'd already predicted Methanex would close and had factored this into their LNG plans. 

She says they decided the gas Methanex uses being released back into the market wouldn't be enough to solve our problems, believing another option is still needed. 

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