Listen Now: 
December 10, 2013
Alternative energy push put to oil drillers
Waatea Team
Posted On December 10, 2013
A far north iwi leader says Maori in the region would prefer investment in renewable energy rather than off shore oil drilling.
Haami Piripi from Te Rarawa met with this week with representatives from Statoil, the Norwegian oil company that has won a licence to explore for oil under the sea 100 kilometres west of Kaitaia.
He says there is likely to be little benefit to Maori in the project, and he wants the Government to promote alternatives rather than ramping up the search for oil and gas.
"We’ve got a huge opportunity up here for generation of power by wave movement, by sea rise and fall, by wind, solar, there are tremendous opportunities up her for developing renewable resources that aren’t based on fossil extraction. We think the days of fossil fuels are numbered," Mr Piripi says.
He says iwi need to engage with the oil companies that have won exploration permits on off their rohe, or they face being swept over by the wave of development.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
RELATED NEWS
