NZ First promises to invest $1 billion in oil, gas surveys

<p>New Zealand First will invest in surveying the country's offshore basins for oil and gas supplies to use domestically and export around the world, if elected.</p> <p><b>By Lillian Hanly of </b><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/742372/nz-first-promises-to-invest-in-oil-gas-surveys" target="_blank"><b>RNZ</b></a></p> <p>Leader Winston Peters says the country can no longer ignore the potential "in our deep sea basins".</p> <p>"We will find those energy reserves, we will extract them, and what we find we will use to make our country prosperous again."</p> <p>But it could take years for those supplies to be secured, with Peters saying surveying would take two years, and "within six years" the country could have its own supply.</p> <p>He made the announcement to a crowd of nearly 400 delegates and another few hundred supporters at the party's campaign launch on Sunday in Auckland.</p> <p>It also comes as deputy leader Shane Jones confirmed he is contesting the Northland seat, and Peters ruled out working with Labour…