Oil and gas exploration is happening, or about to happen, throughout Hawke's Bay and Friday's Oil and Gas Symposium is one step closer to a local industry "with huge numbers", says Business Hawke's Bay CEO Susan White.
She said heavyweight speakers would help engage the community in the ongoing controversy of whether Hawke's Bay wishes to follow Taranaki's example.
Tukituki MP Craig Foss said more than 2000 new jobs could be created. "Our local economy would be significantly better off, with the higher effective productivity of labour in the oil and gas, and supporting sectors resulting in a benefit for households through higher wages," he said.
"The East Coast study presented some really exciting data, including GDP increases of up to 9.3 per cent depending on the scale of development, which would be overwhelmingly positive for our local communities."
The symposium features a wide range of speakers presenting issues from several perspectives. Included is Dr Jan Wright - Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. Her November report on fracking confirmed it could be risky if not managed and regulated properly. She said it did not yet have public acceptance - a "social licence".