Simon Watts

🔋Announced this morning: over 2,500 new EV chargers are coming across New Zealand, thanks to Government investment alongside ChargeNet and Meridian.

Great to exchange views with Pacific partners at the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial. @MadeleineMHKing 🇦🇺 @Surangeljr 🇵🇼 President Hilda Heine 🇲🇭

Valuable discussions in Tokyo this weekend on the importance of open and secure supply chains at the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial. Good to talk with partners from across the region. @ryosei_akazawa 🇯🇵 @MinisterofMotir 🇰🇷, Minister Tan See Leng 🇸🇬 @SecretaryBurgum🇺🇸

In uncertain times like this, it is vital that kiwis see the market is operating fairly, transparently, and competitively for households and businesses.

Minister Simpson and I sent a letter to fuel companies advising them that we have asked the Commerce Commission to step up its monitoring of market activity to help ensure that the events in the Middle East don’t result in unwarranted price increases.

Our Embassies in the Middle East are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide support to New Zealanders. If you require urgent consular assistance, please call the New Zealand 24/7 Consular Emergency Line on +64 99 20 20 20. Find info at mfat.govt.nz/middle-east

This is a powerful opportunity to show the world the real impacts of climate change on the ground – and to spotlight Pacific climate leadership in action.

Very pleased to see the Pacific Islands Forum announcement that the COP 31 Pre-COP Meeting will be convened in Fiji in October, with a special Leaders component to be held in Tuvalu.

@SvVeldhoven As outward-facing economies with advanced primary sectors and a strong focus on innovation and clean tech, I look forward to working together to support the transition to a low-emissions future.

Congratulations @SvVeldhoven on your appointment as the Netherlands’ Minister of Climate Policy & Green Growth.

Great to be in Paris for the @IEA Ministerial. Valuable discussions with US Secretary of Energy, @SecretaryWright, and IEA Executive Director @fbirol,  as we work to strengthen New Zealand’s relationships and advance shared energy security goals.

That’s the whole reason we’re doing it. National is fixing the basics and building the future.

The savings are far greater than the cost of the facility. That means lower power bills for households.

🧵 Labour is wrong. A new LNG facility will make power prices cheaper for Kiwis.

GOOD NEWS: National is building an LNG import facility to help reduce power prices and ensure New Zealand has a reliable energy supply for years to come. We’re fixing the basics and building the future.

#BREAKING We’ve just announced plans to contract to build an LNG import facility so power prices don’t spike in dry years, saving Kiwis up to $265 million a year.

More renewable energy projects have been commissioned in the last 18 months than in the previous 15 years, making it cleaner and more affordable to keep the lights on.