Climate · Party position

NZ First on Climate

Climate resilience noted; focus on energy sovereignty over emissions targets

NZ First does not set out specific emissions targets or a climate action plan. They mention working with other countries on 'climate change resilience' through foreign affairs. Their energy focus is on lowering power prices, keeping the Tiwai Point smelter open, reopening the Marsden Point oil refinery, and restoring the ability to explore for oil and gas by repealing the 2018 law that banned new offshore permits.

What they say they'll do

Repeal the 2018 law banning new offshore oil and gas exploration permits
Establish a Ministry of Energy focused on powering economic growth
Keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter open
Investigate reopening the Marsden Point oil refinery
Work with other countries on climate change resilience through foreign policy
Make cheap renewable energy a competitive advantage for New Zealand's economy

Who this affects

Electricity consumers / households

NZ First proposes restructuring the electricity sector — requiring generators to sell off their retail arms — with the stated aim of lowering power prices for households and businesses.

Workers in oil, gas and mining industries

Repealing the 2018 ban on new oil and gas exploration permits would reopen the possibility of new upstream energy projects, which the party says relates to fuel security and sovereign energy supply.

Southland workers and businesses

NZ First says it will keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter open, which it says supports around 2,200 direct and associated jobs in the region.

In their own words

“cooperation on pressing issues such as climate change resilience”

“Establish a Ministry of Energy to focus on powering and fuelling New Zealand economic growth where cheap renewable energy should be a core competitive advantage.”

“the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act 2018 will be repealed with the Ministry of Energy to actively investigate the potential of former coal mines, rather than the importation of inferior coal from other countries, and white hydrogen.”

Verify at NZ First — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’s own official policy (as at 2026-06-23) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Climate →

In depth — from NZ First’s policy document

Breaking up the gentailers

NZ First would split the four big power companies into separate generation and retail businesses, on the argument that owning both keeps prices high and keeps cheaper retailers out. The pricing system in which the most expensive generator sets the price for all electricity would be replaced, holding back supply to lift prices would be stopped, new generation would get long-term fixed-price contracts and first use of its power, and households with solar could sell back at the price they pay. All under a National Energy Strategy.

Generation controlled

Almost 90%

The split

In depth — from NZ First’s policy document

Fuel security: a $1 billion subsurface survey

NZ First would spend $1 billion over a term of government on a National Subsurface Development Survey, building a single national dataset across energy, geothermal and CO₂ storage sites, and a framework to develop them. The case is that New Zealand’s offshore basins have never been surveyed with modern tools, that the odds of a major commercial discovery are above ninety percent, and that a find would fund a Norwegian-model sovereign wealth fund on royalties well above 50 percent.

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