Anti-Deep Sea Drilling Wellingtonians Take To The Streets (part tahi)

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One day son al this will be yours

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NZ, Wellington, 24 January 2014 – Summer arrived just in time for a gathering of Wellingtonians protesting at deep-sea oil drilling and Anadarko’s presence in New Zealand.

It was a mild, warm day with a light breeze, as protesters gathered at Midland Park in Lambton Quay, down-town Wellington, and mingled with office workers having their lunch on the grass; concrete steps; and nearby Astoria Cafe;

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People came with printed banners;

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Others made their own;

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Regardless of style and provenance, the message was crystal clear;

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“Expect resistance” – Kiwi style – which will be demonstrated at the ballot box, later this year;

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Political parties, that ignore public concerns at the dangerous practice of deep sea drilling, do so at their peril.

Some came dressed for the part, like this “sea gull”;

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Aya (center) and two fellow Young socialists – the next generation of leaders on the Left. They will be leading the charge against irresponsible corporate, government, and capitalist activity which threatens our planet’s environment;

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The message for all politicians, whether from the Left or Right;

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Wellingtonians were invited to sign a Trespass Notice, to be delivered  in person to Anadarko;

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Many in the crowd who did not take part in the protest were still eager to add their name to the Trespass Notice;

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A simple message, delivered in a clever way;

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So when did the notion of clean water; un-polluted seas; and respect for the environment become a “radical” thing? Isn’t New Zealand supposed to be proud of it’s “100% Pure” and “Clean and Green” reputation? Or, as National suggested, are those “aspirational goals” only?

Young Arlo, standing behind his dad, Green MP Gareth Hughes, as he addressed the protest rally,

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Gareth spoke without a prepared speech, and said that this was about protecting the environment for children “like my son, Arlo”. His sentiments were well recieved by the crowd.

Arlo,  holding his simple message for what it’s all about;

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Gareth was followed by Wellington Regional Councillor and environmentalist, Paul Bruce;

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Paul gave the science behind global warming and said that with  humans continuing to load up the atmosphere with CO2 and seas continuing to warm, it was time to call a halt.

After Paul, Mana Party member and campaigner, Ariana Paretutanganui-Tamati took the loudspeaker;

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Ariana began by repeating the simple truth; “Aotearoa is not for sale!” She said that deep sea drilling was part of the neo-liberal agenda to “mine it, drill, frack it”.

Ariana said that neo-liberalism was a failed economic system that exploited our resourtces for the benefit of the One Percent. She said bluntly,

No one has the right to prostitute our land!”

Arians expressed her disappointment that Labour had not ruled out deep sea drilling and urged Labour supporters “to work on their Labour MPs“.

Many New Zealanders  will not accept dangerous decisions from politicians who, after all, are only seeking short-term gain and solutions to complex problems. When ‘ordinary’, middle class New Zealanders are expressing opposition to deep sea drilling and all the risks entailed, politicians who ignore their concerns run the risk of being tossed out of office.

Voting is resistance;

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Green MP, Gareth Hughes, interviewed by a TV1 news team;

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Kevin Hackwell, representing one of New Zealand’s most formidible and credible environmental protection organisations, Forest & Bird,  speaking to  members of the public;

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In fact, only one group was conspicuous with it’s total absence: the Labour Party.

And I think we know why.

Continued at: Anti-Deep Sea Drilling Wellingtonians Take To The Streets (part rua)

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References

Oil Free Wellington | website

Oil Free Wellington | Facebook

NZ Herald: NZ not 100% pure but aspires to be, says Govt

TV3 News: Oil companies welcome Labour backing

Copyright (c)  Notice

All images are freely available to be used, with following provisos,

  •     Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
  •     Where purpose of  use is  commercial, a donation to Oil Free Wellington is requested.
  •     At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
  •     Acknowledgement of source is requested.

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= fs =

3 COMMENTS

  1. Climate Change has been called the elephant in the room. ie The enormous problem that everyone tries to ignore.

    Statements coming from David Cunliffe preceding his State Of The Nation speech on Monday are that Labour conditionally support deep sea oil drilling, and that on gaining office Labour will pass more regulation to prevent oil leaks, and make deep sea oil drilling safer.
    However David Cunliffe is silent about the danger of accelerating and worsening climate change that is also represented by this technology.

    Gareth Hughes and Jeanette Fitzsimmons of the Green Party have both said that Deep Sea Oil must be opposed on climate change grounds. Wellington Regional Councillor, Bruce Paul, is of the same opinion, saying, it was time to call a halt.
    It is definitely not the time to explore new and risky unconventional sources of oil. The call above, from these Leaders, is for David Cunliffe to heed the danger of climate change. Their call is made in response to the scientific calculations made by scientists like NASA’s James Hansen, and others, that we must halt all unconventional oil extraction, like fracking, like deep sea and Arctic drilling, like tar sands and shale oil. These technologies are completely unsustainable, David Cunliffe knows this. This is why I am so distressed that he has given his conditional approval to deep sea oil drilling, this is in contradiction of the views on the danger of climate change that he so emotionally expressed in his famous Dolphin and Dole queue speech.

    Also by not siding with the Greens over Deep Sea Oil and their policy of No New Coal mines David Cunliffe is leaving the door open for John Key to attack the Greens as extremists, this is a double whammy against David Cunliffe ever becoming Prime Minister and the great leader he could be.

    Polls show that over 60% of the population want the government and the Prime Minister to do more on climate change, by turning his back on this huge mandate David Cunliffe is guaranteeing his defeat. With the polls being so close, David Cunliffe needs every bit of support he can get. He cannot afford to dump on potential allies and supporters.

    David Cunliffe needs to stop listening to the neo-liberal worm tongues in his caucus who are keeping him enfeebled. Like King Theoden, he needs to dispense with their advice, he needs to start listening to his people, he needs to revisit the science that informed his views before he became leader.

    “Since I became a father, everything I did before seems rather shallow and selfish.

    I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I have the good fortune to live in one of the few remaining places on earth that has a stable democracy, food, education, healthcare and, above all, a healthy environment.

    How much longer will this paradise last? I’m not sure. I’m very sad to say there’s a very good chance that by the time my two young sons reach adulthood, the safe and healthy world that we all took for granted will be gone. Finished.

    David Cunliffe June 23, 2012

    For ignoring climate change, when he should know better, David Cunliffe will be receiving a visit from the climate change elephant this Monday to remind him of the danger.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLZJOMX-TSk

    http://aucklandcoalaction.org/category/the-climate-elephant/

  2. Climate Change has been called the elephant in the room. ie The enormous problem that everyone tries to ignore.

    Statements coming from David Cunliffe preceding his State Of The Nation speech on Monday are that labour conditionally support deep sea oil drilling, if more regulation to prevent oil leaks is passed.
    However David Cunliffe is silent about the danger of accelerating and worsening climate change that is also represented by this technology.

    Gareth Hughes and Jeanette Fitzsimmons of the Green Party have both said that Deep Sea Oil must be opposed on climate change grounds. Wellington Regional Councillor, Bruce Paul, is of the same opinion, saying, it was time to call a halt.
    It is definitely not the time to explore new and risky unconventional sources of oil. The call from these Leaders, is for David Cunliffe to heed the danger of climate change. Their call is made in response to the scientific calculations made by scientists like NASA’s James Hansen, and others, that we must halt all unconventional oil extraction, like fracking, like deep sea and Arctic drilling, like tar sands and shale oil. These technologies are completely unsustainable, David Cunliffe knows this. This is why I am so distressed that he has given his conditional approval to deep sea oil drilling, this is in contradiction of the views on the danger of climate change that he put so well in his famous Dolphin and Dole queue speech.

    Also by not siding with the Greens over Deep Sea Oil and their policy of No New Coal mines David Cunliffe is leaving the door open for John Key to attack the Greens as extremists, this is a self imposed double whammy against David Cunliffe ever becoming Prime Minister and the great leader he could be.

    Polls show that over 60% of the population want the government and the Prime Minister to do more on climate change, by turning his back on this huge mandate David Cunliffe is guaranteeing his defeat. With the polls being so close, David Cunliffe needs every bit of support he can get. He cannot afford to dump on potential allies and supporters.

    David Cunliffe needs to stop listening to the neo-liberal worm tongues in his caucus who are keeping him enfeebled. Like King Theoden, he needs to dispense with their advice, he needs to start listening to his people, he needs to revisit the science that informed his views before he became leader.

    “Since I became a father, everything I did before seems rather shallow and selfish.

    I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I have the good fortune to live in one of the few remaining places on earth that has a stable democracy, food, education, healthcare and, above all, a healthy environment.

    How much longer will this paradise last? I’m not sure. I’m very sad to say there’s a very good chance that by the time my two young sons reach adulthood, the safe and healthy world that we all took for granted will be gone. Finished.

    David Cunliffe June 23, 2012

    For ignoring climate change, when he should know better, David Cunliffe will be receiving a visit from the climate change elephant this Monday to remind him of the danger.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLZJOMX-TSk

    http://aucklandcoalaction.org/category/the-climate-elephant

    How will David Cunliffe react?

    Graciously, or with hostility?

  3. Lovely photos
    I hope everyone had a fantastic day and then had a roast dinner in front of the 32 inch Led TV,

Comments are closed.