Asked if there was anything the Government could do to save the mill, Redmayne said the Government would try to “ensure[...] a reliable and affordable supply of electricity into the future”.
Redmayne said Social Development Minister Louise Upston, who represents neighbouring Taupō, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Trade Minister Todd McClay were also involved.
“At the end of the day, when the sun doesn’t shine and there’s no rain and we’ve got not enough water to produce power and we rely on coal from overseas, it doesn’t work... I’m not going to lay blame anywhere at the moment,” she said.
Act leader David Seymour said it was “hugely sad for those people that have lost their jobs”.
He blamed the closure on bad energy policy, which had made the Winstone’s position untenable.
“It brings into relief the sharp reality that you can’t pursue all sorts of goals about climate and the environment and hope that somehow there will still be jobs at the end of it,” Seymour said.
He said there was nothing that could be done to save the mill.
“Any Government that goes out and tries to prop up a business no matter how much your heart tells you you should, your head reminds you that actually you can’t do it - you’re just delaying the change,” Seymour said.
He said “real change” was needed to “make it easier to do genuine investment to make sure there’s sustainable jobs”.
Labour’s Small Business and Manufacturing Spokeswoman Helen White said there were “options to keep the mills open”.
White blamed the gentailers for drawing large profits while not investing sufficiently in new generation assets.
“There are energy companies that have published significant profits over the last 12 months and the Government has therefore received higher dividends from its shares in these companies.
“I am disappointed the government hasn’t worked harder to save these jobs and support this central North Island community,” she said.
“This is a rural area where there is little other work. These jobs support the town, local community and small businesses, which will also face closure as people are forced to leave and wages dry up,” she said.
The closure of the mills was announced today. It followed attempts to broker a deal with Mercury and the Government in order for the mills to remain open.
Other politicians laid the blame at the market regulator, the Electricity Authority.
NZ First Minister Shane Jones, who kept away from media on Tuesday, earlier threatened to end the Electricity Authority if it does not work harder to regulate power prices, but the Government has yet to intervene on the issue.
Others also blamed the regulator.
Octopus Energy chief operating officer Margaret Cooney laid the blame at the Electricity Authority saying it had been “warned for years by industry and exporters that market arrangements have made electricity uncompetitive and prices too high for our productive sector”.
“It is absolutely essential that the current review into the electricity market provides real action rather than deferring change.
“New Zealand urgently needs more competition and regulatory change to support better competition and investment in generation,” she said.
Cooney noted that while industrial electricity prices had fallen from their August highs, they were still double what they were before 2018.
“I can’t imagine the amount of stress and upheaval for all the families and communities that are being impacted by the closure of these mills,” Cooney said.
Thomas Coughlan is deputy political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the Press Gallery since 2018.
