27 June 2014

Nick Smith wrong again on Maui’s

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has been proven wrong again, when he downplayed the impact of seismic testing on the world’s smallest and most endangered dolphin, the Maui’s dolphin, the Green Party said today.

This week in Parliament the Conservation Minister repeatedly downplayed the danger to Maui’s dolphins of seismic testing, which uses air guns.

“Tonight on TV3 Lindy Weilgart, the world’s leading expert on how marine life is affected by air guns, said that it is extremely dangerous to them,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“We can’t afford mistakes, there are only 55 Maui’s dolphins left.

“First the Conservation Minister claimed there were no Maui’s dolphin sightings in the area that the Government is opening up to oil exploration, then when proven wrong, he went against the scientific experts and downplayed the risk to Maui’s.

“New Zealanders don’t want the National Party to drive the Maui’s dolphin towards extinction. We don’t have to allow oil companies to undertake dangerous seismic testing in the very area where the last 55 Maui’s dolphins live,” said Dr Norman.

ENDS

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