Mana Blames Govt For Lack Of Response To Oil Slick

"If that's how government handles a little oil spill, then thank God, Greenpeace and Te Whanau a Apanui for stopping Petrobras from getting a deep-sea oil permit in the Raukumara" said MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira, of government's inability to stem the loss of more than 300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil following the grounding of the container ship, Rena outside the port of Tauranga.

"Government spent the first four days saying it wouldn't reach the beaches, but now the oil slick and dead birds are washing up on the beaches of Tauranga, everyone knows they were lying" said Harawira "They don't have an oil spill response plan worth spitting on"

Mr Harawira says New Zealanders weren't stupid and they would very quickly make the link between the Rena disaster and the horror story that was averted thanks to a group of dedicated people stopping the survey and deep-sea drilling program that govt had agreed to with Petrobas.

"Govt lied when they said they had a comprehensive response to cover any problems in the Raukumara, and this oil spill confirms that"

Mr Harawira said that the legislation which allowed a poorly serviced ship to ground right outside the port of Tauranga, and government's inability to handle the oil spill was simply unacceptable.

"I am grateful to those MANA supporters who have already joined the clean-up crews and I am calling on our supporters to ignore the government's calls and join the team at Papamoa to clean up our beaches"

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