Oil Industry Spread 'Alternative Facts' - The Dowse, 25/3

Oil Industry Spread 'Alternative Facts'

Moving on from oil and gas in NZ - The Dowse, Sunday March 25th.

While the oil industry prepares to discuss topics like “Hydraulic Fracturing: What Do We Do often Wrong and What Could We Do Better?” at the upcoming Petroleum Conference, their nemeses - citizens hoping for a healthy future- will meet at the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt on Sunday. We have organised an information day to inform people living outside Taranaki just what really goes on when the oil men move in next door. Prepare to be shocked suggests the organiser, Jean Kahui, because fracking isn’t the half of it!

There is going to be a big protest and disruption in Wellington early next week as the oil industry attempt to hold yet another government supported conference and wait for the minister of energy to offer up fresh blocks of NZ for petroleum exploration.

But while the industry attempts to conference, an ever growing number of concerned citizens, will protest peacefully and attempt to block the conference and block any further oil and gas exploration. Environmental groups are united in the call to stop oil and gas exploration in and around NZ. Climate change demands action, there is not time to spare and more and more everyday people are realizing this as we experience the weather extremes brought on by man-made climate warming.

The info day called Moving on from oil and gas in NZ and is about bringing the facts to the people for consideration, because discussion, opinions and decisions to act, need to be based in fact, and the facts about this industry are very hard to come by.

The oil industry is known for spreading ‘alternative facts’ like fracking is safe, there are no known cases of contaminated water, and stopping exploration in NZ will do 11,000 kiwis out of jobs.

Actually, there is no evidence to support any of these alternative facts, and in fact, Statistics NZ show just 1,200 people were employed in oil and gas exploration at the height of its boom in 2015, and that number dropped to less than 1,000 in 2017. Stopping further exploration could mean retraining and supporting some 900 people around the country into sustainable energy employment, or similar.

Moving on from oil and gas in NZ will offer first-hand experience and the latest research from the Taranaki Gaslands and a case for the swift transition to sustainable energy, with a full programme of speakers including: Jeanette Fitzsimons who has been working in the fossil fuel field for many decades, Fiona Clark who has been recording the industry and degradation through her camera lenses for just as long, and Pikikore Moore and Emily Bailey whose family members have been putting up a fight against the ‘development’ for generations.

Ihaia Puketapu, Dr Mike Joy, Catherine Cheung, Teanau Tuiono, Sarah Roberts and Dr Lyndon DeVantier complete the impressive line up of speakers for the day.

People who want to know more are welcome; entry is free 10am – 5pm, March 25 at the Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt.

Link to event.

ENDS

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