Shane Jones says oil and gas exploration is necessary to deal with energy security issues, as natural gas reserves rapidly decline

The Government's reversing the oil and gas exploration ban, beyond onshore Taranaki.

It comes after around 20-thousand people marched in central Auckland yesterday, to protest the Fast Track Approvals Bill.

Resources Minister Shane Jones, says about 20 percent of all our energy needs are related to gas.

He says because of the previous Government's decision in 2018, we're relying more on Indonesian coal.