“Renewed call for Mobil boycott”

June 14, 2001

Auckland Regional Council Chairman Philip Warren is renewing calls for Aucklanders to boycott Mobil.

Mobil is the only one of the four major oil companies holding out against an ARC initiative to introduce lower sulphur diesel to the Auckland market.

Cr Warren says there is overwhelming support for cleaner diesel in Auckland and it is only Mobil’s obstinacy which is preventing it.

“Mobil are holding Aucklanders to ransom. They are swimming against the tide,” he says.

“BP, Caltex and Shell are all supporting the cleaner fuel, which is what the people want, so the answer is simple. Aucklanders need to vote with their feet, stay away from Mobil and support the suppliers that are supporting them.

“I can think of no better way of sending a strong message to Mobil and I urge their customers, be they individuals or businesses, to reconsider where they buy their fuel.”

Cr Warren says the ARC has made every effort to get Mobil on board but is very disappointed with the company’s inflexibility which he says reflects the situation across the Tasman where Mobil Australia is the only major oil company fighting moves to lower the content of diesel.

“That makes me wonder just who is calling the shots at Mobil here? Are the company’s officials in New Zealand scared to make the move in case it damages their case in Australia?
Do they even have the authority to do so?”

The Auckland diesel initiative Mobil is rejecting would reduce the sulphur content by more than half, to 1000 parts per million, and would remove 1000kg per day of fine particles from the Auckland atmosphere.

It could be done almost immediately at a cost of less than one cent per litre using existing refinery technology. The only prerequisite is that all four major oil companies agree because all Auckand’s diesel comes down the same pipeline.

ENDS

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