New Zealand Energy Minister: Government 100% Committed to LNG Import Terminal

The commitment is rhetorical rather than operational: procurement slippage and a decision deferred until after the election mean the terminal's fate now rests with voters, not officials. That matters for the country's gas users, who face a supply gap the project was meant to address, and for the bidders currently absorbing the cost of a longer process. Whether the government's stated commitment survives the election, and whether the procurement timeline holds, is the open question.