Community consultation

As Operator, Origin Energy is responsible to the Kupe Joint Venture for ensuring that the communities around the area of operations are involved in the project planning process and are well informed of project developments and progress.

Origin has developed and is implementing an extensive consultation plan to ensure that stakeholders, including iwi and nearby communities, are kept informed about the Kupe Gas Project.

Consultation activities to date have included:

Setting up an office and information centre in central Hawera
Holding face-to-face meetings with interested groups and individuals to discuss specific issues or concerns
Establishing a dedicated website, email address and toll free phone number
Holding community information sessions in the local area
Briefing both regional and national media to assist in informing the community about the nature of the project
Landowners letters, one-on-one briefings and land access negotiations
Meetings with New Zealand Government agencies.

Now with the approval of the project, regular Community Newsletters will be distributed to provide updates on the project.

Previous consultation with regulatory authorities, groups and individuals within the community of the Kupe Gas Project Area have raised a number of important items that have been integrated into the project planning. These include:

Incorporation of appropriate New Zealand safety requirements into the design of the platform, pipelines and the production station
Appropriate siting of the onshore pipelines and the production station to minimise environmental and community effects
Consideration of the cultural sensitivities in the design and siting of the Kupe Gas Project components
Management measures for specific environmental issues.

Origin and the Alliance Team will continue to work with the community throughout the life of the Kupe Gas Project to ensure that all issues are managed effectively to minimise the effects on the environment and community.