A former Tuvalu Prime Minister has called out the New Zealand government for justifying plans to overturn a ban on oil and gas exploration.
Resources Minister Shane Jones was questioned by RNZ on how New Zealand's Pacific neighbours would feel about overturning the ban.
I think that the Pacific realise that New Zealand we are serious contributors to their welfare in the Pacific and they know in order for us to generate an economic dividend in New Zealand we need a reliable and we need an affordable level of energy," Shane Jones said.
"You've got to stop this left wing catastrophisation. Us keeping the lights on and the hospitals functioning you cant hold that type of thinking responsible for the tide lapping around Tuvalu. Come on give us a break," he said.
Tuvalu's Enele Sopoaga responded by telling Lydia Lewis the comments are simply not good enough.
Tuvalu's prime minister Enele Sopoaga speaking at the opening of the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Funafuti. August 2019 Photo: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
