Mainlanders say no to deep sea oil drilling
‘Banners on the Beach’ activities attracted well over 2000 people to over 20 beaches from Golden Bay to Bluff. Estimates
for the biggest crowds were Dunedin (600) Christchurch (500) and Kaikoura (350).
Last year thousands also protested in dozens of locations on North Island beaches as Texan oil giant Anadarko was
preparing to drill off the coast of Raglan.
Today’s event follows recent protests at sea by Otago, Kaikoura and Wellington community groups opposing deep sea oil as
Anadarko starts exploratory drilling work off Otago and continues seismic surveying in the Pegasus Basin near Kaikoura
and Wellington.
Residents of Kaikoura, known for its whale watch tourism, say they are defending their livelihoods from the acoustic
booms that are known to distress whales and dolphins and from an oil spill that could devastate their community.
Otago community leaders, who last weekend sailed out and radioed opposition to the captain of the Anadarko drillship
Noble Bob Douglas, say the urgent need for action on climate change means the reckless search for oil and gas must stop.
Greenpeace Energy Campaigner Steve Abel says today’s turnout has again sent a strong message to the government and oil
industry.
“Over 2000 people and families that have joined in today show that Kiwis don’t want deep sea drilling off our coasts.
That’s not the future we want for New Zealand.
“We don’t want to see dozens of oil rigs dotted off our coastlines – that is the awful vision of John Key and Anadarko.
We want jobs for New Zealanders that don’t ruin our fishing grounds or risk oil washing on our beaches.
“It’s about defending the way people put food on the table in New Zealand now and not selling out our kids’ future to
foreign oil companies. We belong as part of the solution – sticking true to our clean green values and innovating a way
forward – not as another oily backwater run for the benefit of US drillers.”
Banners on the Beach is organised by a coalition of local oil free groups and Greenpeace.
Ends