McClutchie urges action in Tauranga Oil Spill

Mana Party’s Ikaroa Rawhiti Candidate Tawhai McClutchie’s fears an environmental disaster Tawhai McClutchie has voiced extreme concerning the grounding of the MV Rena in the bay of Tauranga. “This is more than a wake-up call, the Government needs to get real and act fast.”

“1500 tonnes of oil needs to be contained then it has to be pumped out. A vessel big enough to contain the pumped oil needs to get to the Rena, and the tide has to be at its highest point. The longer authorities take their time the worse it’s going to get. And there is a lot that needs to be done,” said Mr. McClutchie, who has had 15 years working on oil platforms and within the industry.

“With ship in close proximity to Mataitai, I’m very concerned about te hi ika (traditional fishing grounds). These are the ancient seabeds where Ngaiterangi have gathered kina, paua, mussels, and crayfish for hundreds of years. But now the region could be irreversibly damaged in a moment’s carelessness. I stand beside Ngaiterangi and the people of Tauranga during this difficult period.”

“However now is the time to act fast and get through this crisis together. But as soon as we get the area cleaned, we need to do some serious soul searching about whether we want to see larger oil operations in our waters and the larger dangers," said Mr. McClutchie.

“I’m deeply opposed to National’s plans to drill off our coasts. We’ve all seen the massive damage to the environment, the wildlife, and to the people of the Gulf of Mexico. Now we see the ugly reality of an oil spill here, and the Government’s paralysed response tells us they absolutely have no idea what it’s getting us all into with drilling, say Mr. McClutchie.

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Authorised by Pine Tamahori, 20 Mangaharei St, Ruatoria

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