Tasmania extended fracking moratorium to protect clean produce reputation

“Tasmania’s primary industries minister, Jeremy Rockliff, said uncertainty around fracking should not put at risk Tasmania’s reputation for producing fresh, premium and safe produce….” This is what NZ should be doing. See the community joint statement calling for a total ban on fracking in NZ - will your group join us?  As an individual, please sign the Stop Fracking Now petition.  Read full story on Tasmanian here (Guardian, 26 March 2015).

If you’re still not convinced, read “How earthquakes linked to fracking are fracturing an Oklahoma community” (Stuff, 28 Feb 2015)

380+ submissions against Shell-Todd offshore drilling

Over 380 people have made a submission against Shell-Todd’s marine consent application to drill 22 new side-tracked wells and continue gas extraction and production for another 35 years off the Taranaki coast. It was just awesome to watch all the submissions come in, particularly in the last few hours before closing time when we had several submissions per minute flying across the globe. Climate Justice Taranaki made a 30-page submission. Support by donations and other means will help us a great deal in the upcoming fight.

MEDIA RELEASE: OMV oil spill – time to plug their well

“It’s time to plug OMV’s operations after a third oil spill in the Maari field off the Taranaki coast” says Emily Bailey, member of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“According to an OMV estimate, up to 300 litres of oil spilled into the sea on Friday 20 February. While company spin doctors will try and talk this down calling it ‘small’, the US EPA states that 300 litres of oil can contaminate 300 million litres of water, and this near a blue whale breeding ground and in the habitat of the critically endangered Maui’s dolphin.”

Media Release: Government bending backwards for oil corporations

The Bill to amend the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act 2012 (EEZ Act) tabled by the Minister for Environment this morning is a clear statement that the government is working for foreign corporations rather than New Zealanders.

Divest from fossil fuels!

CONGRATULATIONS to Royal Dutch Shell for winning a special award at the UN Climate talks in Lima recently the Sly Sludge Award for a deft bit of last minute name-cleansing; removal of the word “divest” from the talks’ side-panel discussion.

Good news for the sea – mining consent refused

“We are relieved that the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has refused an application by Chatham Rock Phosphate Limited (CRP) for a marine consent to mine phosphorite nodules on the Chatham Rise” says member of Climate Justice Taranaki and submitter Urs Signer.

Stop Fracking Now – Sign the petition!

Please take a moment to sign a new petition against fracking here.

To: Prime Minister John Key and the National Government of New Zealand