October 21, 2011

National: The Party of Irresponsibility and Greed

Mana Party Ikaroa Rawhiti candidate, Tawhai McClutchie is calling for a complete cancellation on oil and gas development in New Zealand.

“Following the grounding of the Reno and subsequent oil spill, you would think the Government would be reviewing further safety and environmental requirements. Then hold them against the stretched response in Tauranga Moana.”

“You would think National would halt all future oil operations with respect to the oil spill in Tauranga Moana.”

“But what we have in reality is the irresponsible behaviour of National tendering to the highest bidder for more ways to compromise our environment. Their greed is insatiable.” Tawhai McClutchie says that National’s plan to heavily market to overseas oil exploration companies in Asia, Europe, and America shows alarming signs of a government out of touch with reality on the ground.

“The people of Ikaroa Rawhiti should be concerned with the evidence in Tauranga. We see a Maritime Authority sorely unprepared to deal with oil spills. A government proving that they don’t know how to prevent a spill don’t know how to stop a spill and don’t know how to clean up a spill. And yet they’re planning to sell more oil permits?” said Mr. McClutchie.

Oil exploration permits have been issued to Petrobras within the Raukumara, and Apache and TAG Oil within the Hawkes Bay and the East Coast.

Tawhai McClutchie says all of the permits sit on two active faultlines that cut through the Ikaroa Rawhiti. “If there is an oil spill from any proposed well site, contamination of the shorelines and coastal communities in Hicks Bay, Te Araroa, Tokomaru Bay, Tolaga Bay, Mahia, Gisborne, and Napier will put whanau and the fishing industry at risk.”

“Tauranga Moana needs to be a wake-up call. Our country should be developing more widespread, community-based sustainable energy alternatives. Not only does it behove this country’s clean, green image, such sustainable energy alternatives help break our habit of oil dependence, puts power back into our people’s hands, and it is healthier for the environment and wildlife. All future oil operations must stop.”

ENDS

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