Media Release: “People are angry over the action we have taken at Te Kohanga bay recently and demand to know why they werent consulted about the decision to remove the remnants of the old boat post that wrecked in Te Kohanga in the 1830s . My response is this: Did Simon Bridges, Minister for Oil Drilling and Mining, ask any of you if it was ok to open up Te Reinga Basin for deep sea oil drilling exploration? How many hapu, iwi and public hui in Te Rarawa have adamantly 100% opposed oil drilling and yet Simon has ignored that message and allowed Statoil to start its seismic testing program today, right here 30kms off Tauroa point and Te Kohanga Bay. Where is the anger at this Government ignoring the rights of hau kainga and desecrating our spiritual pathways that return our spirits back to Hawaiki nui, Hawaiki Roa, Hawaiki Pamamao? Where is the anger at the danger that Simon Bridges has threatened the precious seafood gathering areas that have fed our communities for thousands of years and have rahui set up to continue the kaitiaki work that is our responsibility handed to us by our ancestors for the benefit of our children and descendants? Where was the anger at all the whales and dozens of seals that died on our shores this winter and cries for accountability then? Where was the anger when Patito the natural stone icon seen around Tauroa point that had been here for thousands of years, disappeared and gone forever? We have a situation where Simon Bridges has brought Statoil from Norway, here and will inevitably destroy our moana. Statoil confirms that they have no experience at drilling below 2000 metres. They also have confirmed that there are no sustainable jobs here in Te Rarawa. Simon Bridges has confirmed that Statoil has a contract that releases them from any environmental disasters. This community needs to wake up and defend the real taonga that their memories are connected to and that is the sea that provides kaimoana of paua, fish, kutai and koura, provides best waves and surf in the country, provides memories and emotions for every generation, provides culture and history to those who call Ahipara home and provides everything that we as a community dependent upon the sea, really needs. I have been fighting this issue for over 10 years and we will be involved in more actions to hold this Government and their foreign corporation masters accountable over the summer and for as long as it takes to media statement: #STOPSTATOIL....so you may not like what I have done, what are you doing about it? And if your reply is that there is nothing that we can do, then I will keep doing something until we change that korero taurekareka. Toitu te whenua, toitu te moana, whatungarongaro te tangata - ko te pataka kai o Tangaroa he oranga mo nga whakatipuranga kei te heke mai. Tu mai, tu mai, tu mai!
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 10:59:39 +0000