Govt not straight on Oil Disaster
Posted on October 13, 2011 by admin in Hone Harawira, Press ReleasesMANA 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”
For Further Information:
Hone Harawira 021 865372
Or
Peter Verschaffelt 022 0643251
Graham says:
Post Author October 17, 2011 at 10:48 pmOne of the many things that I like about Mana is the way that we put people and the environment first-and ahead of self absorbed corporates, bankers. big business people and insurance companies.
I overheard a rant from a National Party supporter who said that the governemnt was absolutely compelled to consider the shop owners property and interests and the insurance companies involved. He also made the point that NZ had to be cognisant of international law and that all this needed time. This, sadly is an all too common perception among many Nzers. That it is money and profits that allows us to function as a society and not the well being of the people, the land, sea and general environment.
Unless we in Mana can get Hone back into Parliament with as many others as we can, then this sort of dysfunctional, silly and retrograde thinking will prevail for much longer. And, Labour appears well out of touch doesn’t it? Not a constructive word from anyone and seem rudderless.
We need to work really hard to raise that party vote and to get as many electorate seats as possible. While on that subject, I am doing some leaflet drops for Sue Bradford out in Waitakere. I am heartened by the response [ all positive ] of many householders I come across. It is encouraging so keep up the pressure people.