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On water demonstration will challenge PM’s hypocrisy

Tuesday 2nd December


On water demonstration will challenge PM’s hypocrisy about fossil fuel subsidies

A big flotilla in Wellington harbour is planned for 13th December to show the resistance oil and gas companies face in New Zealand - and to show that New Zealanders aren’t buying into John Key’s hypocrisy. At the Paris climate talks yesterday, John Key said the world needs to move away from subsidising the fossil fuel industry, yet his government continues to spend tens of millions subsidising oil companies to prospect in New Zealand.(1)

“John Key’s hypocrisy shows why it is more important than ever for people to stand up and resist the exploration of our waters by oil giants like Chevron and Statoil,” says Oil Free Wellington spokesperson Michelle Ducat.

Chevron and Statoil are two of the oil companies who have been granted exploration permits in the Pegasus Basin off Wellington’s coast. (2)

Oil Free Wellington is organising a large on-water demonstration on Sunday 13th December. Hundreds of people are expected on land and on the water to show oil companies that they can expect resistance this summer.

“This on water mobilisation will acknowledge that it’s up to us as communities to take real action on climate change. We will be sending a strong message to the oil and other fossil fuel industries who are planning to expand their extraction that we will resist them.”

“This huge on-water flotilla and rally is taking place at the end of the Paris climate talks because we know that Paris won’t deliver what we need to make our climate safe for current and future generations. It is more important than ever to empower our own communities to take the action needed to address climate change and the fossil fuel industry,” says Ms Ducat.

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The on water demonstration will be part of a weekend of discussion and action calledChange Everything which will look at ways groups can work together to create solutions to climate change that work for everyone, not the few.(3)

1. Fossil Fuel Finance in New Zealand http://awsassets.wwfnz.panda.org/downloads/wwf_fossil_fuel_finance_nz_subsidies_report.pdf

2. Permit details and maps http://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/investors/permits/block-offers/previous/2014/overview-block-offer-2014-permits/details-maps

3. Change Everything: Gathering and Day of Action http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/

ends

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