The Supreme Court has ruled Māori activist Mike Smith’s legal fight against some of the country’s biggest polluters can go to trial.
The Ngapuhi and Ngati Kahu elder has been fighting against what he calls the “Polluting 7” since August 2019, which is when he first sued the companies.
They include dairy giant Fonterra, energy company Genesis, farmer Dairy Holdings, New Zealand Steel, Z Energy, Channel Infrastructure, and BT Mining.
Mike Smith is an activist legend, ever since righteously cutting down the Pakeha Tree of supremacy on One Tree Hill, he has been a relentless voice for justice.
His win here to be able to take NZs largest polluters to Court follows on from his attempt to use the International Criminal Court to sue global polluters…
Iwi leader Mike Smith takes OMV oil boss to International Criminal Court
Māori leader Mike Smith has shot the first arrow in a global war between indigenous communities and oil companies.
Smith has started legal proceedings in the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Rainer Seele, the CEO of Austrian oil giant OMV.
He said oil company executives deserved to stand trial for genocide and other climate crimes impacting on indigenous communities now and in the future.
…once again it is Indigenous peoples and young people who are leading the war on climate change!
Just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions that are causing the climate crisis, and big oil KNEW in the 1990s that they were creating catastrophic climate change.
The comparisons between how Big Tobacco lied and manipulated the science linking smoking to cancer is as audacious as Big Oil has lied and manipulated the science linking CO2 to global warming.
We should be collectively suing Big Oil now and using the payouts to fund the urgent Green transition away from fossil fuels.
It is outrageous that our Government has not led this fight and instead capitulate to the polluters rather than challenge them. Indigenous people have been at the forefront of the climate crisis battle and have been the frontline between corporate polluting greed and sustainable habitats.
You can see why the State illegally spied on Māori Iwi fighting big oil in this country.
Thank God for Māori and youth leadership on this crucial issue.
Again.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media.
Thanks countryboy. Concur with your sentiments 100%.
The crooks at Channel Infrastructure definitely deserve to be dealt with (legally) for destroying the refinery that previous more enlightened governments built.
Well done Mike Smith and associates.
Known him for years, great guy who has been taking a slightly different tack for some years now and it is paying off.
Most just talk but Mike takes action.
Claiming that capitalism is so bad is that the raw material for the oil needed to process grains, which are the food source of cows, comes from oil. This should not be forgotten. What do our tractors or generators work with? Material tools required to process milk? We need to be more stimulating!
Comments are closed.