Key refuses to meet Kaikoura stop deep sea oil community
John Key refuses to meet Kaikoura stop deep sea oil community
This Saturday and Sunday, the Blue Greens
(the National Party's advisory group on environmental
issues) are having their annual conference in
Kaikoura.
Spokesperson for Te Runanga o Kaikoura, Gina
Solomon said, “Members of Te Korowai o Te Tai o Marokura
were invited to attend a hui at Takahanga Marae by the
Minister of Conservation, Hon Nick Smith, for the
announcement of the (government) response to our Kaikoura
Marine Strategy.”
It is understood that Hon Amy
Adams, the Minister for the Environment and, Hon Prime
Minister, John Key will be in attendance at the 9:30 hui on
Sunday morning. The Prime Minister, his cabinet, and other
attendees plan to go whale watching directly after the
hui.
Last week No Drill Kaikoura, a local organisation
concerned about the risks of deep sea oil exploration,
requested John Key attend a public forum while he was in
town to discuss the issue of deep sea oil, but he declined.
No Drill now invites the community to bring their banners
and placards to Churchill park at 10:30am on Sunday the 16th
to message the Prime Minister and his cabinet directly as
they leave the hui. Further actions for the day will be
announced at Churchill Park.
Lynda Kitchingham, a
spokesperson for No Drill Kaikoura who was a member of Te
Korowai for five years said, “representatives from the
Kaikoura Community have put ten or so years of hard work
into a conservation strategy for the region to which the
government will be presenting its response next weekend. The
Vision of Te Korowai is, 'By perpetuating the mauri and
wairua of Te Tai O Marokura, the community act as kaitiaki
of Tangaroa’s taonga to achieve a flourishing, rich and
healthy environment, where opportunities abound to sustain
the needs of present and future generations...' I will be
very interested to see how this government manages to
‘spin’ compatibility of this Vision with deep sea oil
drilling and seismic testing on the doorstep."
Maurice Manawatu, first chairperson of Te Korowai said, “It just seems so incompatible to be promoting oil exploration in the very canyon that feeds directly into the proposed, marine reserve, marine mammal sanctuary and World Heritage site."
END