Block Offer 2015: More of our Seas for Sale

At midday today Oil Free Otago will be at the office of Dunedin North MP Michael Woodhouse to deliver a message to his government.

“Today this National Government are again offering our Seas for Sale to foreign oil companies to explore for more oil and gas” said Oil Free Otago spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden, “despite the fact that we can’t burn most of the already discovered fossil fuels and keep to the two degree global warming limit that this government agreed to at Copenhagen.”

This morning Energy Minister Simon Bridges announced its 2015 Block Offer to oil companies at the Advantage NZ Petroleum Summit, Sky City Casino, Auckland.

Oil Free Otago’s protest is one of several around the country recently . Last week ANZ bank was targeted in three cities, including Dunedin, for sponsoring the petroleum Summit.

Yesterday thousands of people marched in Auckland against the government’s agenda of drilling for more deep sea oil and gas.

This morning Petroleum conference attendees were confronted with activists holding up mural-sized photographs depicting the human and animal suffering of climate-related crises.

“We have a question for our local National Party MP, Michael Woodhouse” said Ms Penwarden. “The science is clear. What doesn’t his government get about climate change?”

“This National Government are stuck in last century’s polluting fossil fuel energy policies just when we need to urgently move to a clean energy low carbon energy policy. They have no regard for securing a stable, liveable climate for our children’s future, or that of all living creatures.”

“Fossil Fuels are not our future. We will not stand by while this government continues to put our planet at risk.”

ENDS

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