Todd Energy’s application to produce gas from an offshore field off the coast of Raglan could be approved despite the ban on offshore fossil fuel extraction, Energy Minister Simeon Brown has said.
An exploration permit for the Karewa block – a 16,200 hectare area 45km west of Raglan – was first granted in 1993 to Conoco. Todd Energy acquired the permit in 2003 and announced it had found 150 billion cubic feet of gas. They have yet to move on the application, but because the permit was due to expire at the end of July, had to apply for a mining permit to keep the possibility of development. open They went on to say that “any field development activity may possibly occur in the late 2020s to early 2030s and will be subject to consultation with affected iwi and hapū and any environmental approvals.” However, the company did stress it has no “firm” plans to produce gas from Karewa.
Meantime another article from Newsroom says that Reviving oil and gas exploration will make NZ a ‘pariah’ state with criticism coming in from concerned groups around the world and within our own country.
Christmas events are on this weekend in Raglan with Christmas in the Park back this year but in a new location down Wi neera st, from 5:30 on Sunday night. Organisers are recommending that people park at Papahua and walk across the walkbridge to the Christmas event where there will be food, carols, entertainment and a visit from the big Man himself, Santa Claus.
The Spirit of Christmas exhibition has been relocated to the old dairy factory at 58 wallis st with its official opening tonight, with doors open from 10am for the next week. The last Creative market of the year, which is also good for christmas shopping, has also been relocated, this time to the Raglan Club and will be on from 10am on Saturday. Both events have been relocated because of ongoing work to the Old School carpark but the Live and Local and Monty Bevin concerts over the weekend would still be held there.
Waikato District Council has said that official looking signs setting up a crossing on the airfield were not put there by them and have now been taken down. It was thought that the signs were genuine council signs that had been stolen during the long running dispute on the land.
Council staff have also said that the airfield fence was vandalised four times over a five week period in September and that the repairs are an unnecessary cost to the ratepayer. Councillor LisaThomson is concerned that the mixed messaging is going to create a dangerous situation and was reiterating that council has not changed its decision to close off the airstrip – although a lot less planes have been landing on the strip since the protests began.
The original landowners of the land are currently engaged with council in a process to return the land and have previously supported the installation of the fence around the airstrip. https://raglanradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/386798929_3489772784686130_7005249451502122141_n.jpg