Nearly 7000 deep sea oil protesters are set to send Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges a stern message for all to see after crowdfunding a billboard to be put up in Mount Maunganui.
Next week, the large billboard will be seen on Maunganui Road, near Central Parade, after members pooled together the $1000 goal needed to secure a site in the Tauranga area.
ActionStation's billboard to be put up on Maunganui Road near Central Parade.
The billboard reads: ‘Dear Simon Bridges, Clean energy creates 4 x more jobs than oil. Love from all the Kiwis for economic and environmental prosperity'.
This message was voted in by ActionStation members out of 12 different options, and will go up in time for Christmas and remain until the end of the January.
The initiative follows the awarding of 15 new oil and gas exploration permits as a result of Block Offer 2014, with Simon saying he believes the public's level of concern about oil drilling has lessened in the last few years.
ActionStation campaign director Laura O'Connell-Rapira says this is despite the fact that, according to a Colmar Brunton survey earlier this year, 'slightly more than two thirds of the population think the government should invest taxpayers' money in building an economy that's based on clean energy industries.”
Laura adds: 'Our members are deeply concerned that their voices are not being heard by our leaders.
'We survey our membership every month and a lot of New Zealanders are still very concerned about oil drilling, mining and fracking and we want to give those people a way to express that and be heard.”
Simon, speaking to SunLive last week, claimed opposition are misinformed when it comes to concerns surrounding marine life and the actions of oil and gas companies.
'The real sad thing is their information,” he says. 'What they are spreading is misinformation. I think all of their concerns have got answers to them.
'If they are concerned with oil drilling, we have had over 40 years of offshore oil drilling that has been done safely and we have really lifted the standards in this area so it can be done safely and with better environmental practice.”
ActionStation members also hope to deliver a giant novelty postcard with a similar message to Simon at Parliament in the New Year.
25 comments
Hope activists do not drive cars!
Posted on 18-12-2014 11:26 | By jed
Put their money where their mouths are.
and
Posted on 18-12-2014 12:18 | By JayR
it should read "clean energy costs 4x as much as oil"
Hypocrisy?
Posted on 18-12-2014 12:20 | By Annalist
Hypocritical unless the "activists" forego all oil and all based products. or is risk ok as long as it is in other countries??? Oh well must board my jet and fly to another environmental conference and stay in my five star hotel with airconditioning, and then tell everyone else to be environmentally conscious! Hmmmm
And...
Posted on 18-12-2014 13:32 | By penguin
...when the oil resources start running out the cynics are likely to be the first to moan, since they will not be able to drive cars, fly in their jets, stay in air-conditioned hotels or live the 'oil-powered' lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. Of course logic tells us that oil is used in some form by all of us. But the real thinkers know that energy alternatives must be researched and developed well before the day of reckoning. Also, how much of the revenue gained by government from oil exploration/production goes into R&D? Maybe Bridges could tell us that?
Not in my backyard
Posted on 18-12-2014 14:01 | By jonthejoiner
It has to be said that yes there is this mentality that burning oil without thought is a God given right. We still have this petrolhead thing going on over here, you know, big car= big male bits. If we are going to continue this mindset we need to pay the cost, not expect some arse end of knowhere African country to wade around in the Petroleum companies crap. It's time we NZ's took responsibility, hopefully that's what this argument is going to be more about.
Blue Boy
Posted on 18-12-2014 14:07 | By BlueBoy
My comment to these hypocritical activists is simple. Lead by example and go and live in caves leave your cars behind oh and your bikes as they have tyres made of petro chemicals your cloths, shoes cell phones you tv, radios most of the products in the modern home not much left aye. Well leave it all behind because you expect every one else to do so, be one of the first and lead by example and if you can I would say shut up and keep your mouth shut. One thing that will end up happening is the rest of the world will get sick of the so called greenies and if they can't keep quiet and lead by example or come up with practical ideas they will have it taken from then to make an example. So take that in and think about it.
Misinformation, eh?
Posted on 18-12-2014 14:19 | By Disappointed
Simon Bridges only ever sings from the song sheet handed him by his masters. Left to his own devices he would unquestionably argue that it was all just misinformation that spread through the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
Ignorant comments
Posted on 18-12-2014 14:56 | By Happimum
Wow, what a bunch of ignorant comments. Seems economic value is placed above environmental value here.
Rastus
Posted on 18-12-2014 15:06 | By rastus
What annoys me is that we taxpayers had to fork out for these idiots education - if anyone of them can come up with a cost analysis that proves their point then I and many others would stop and listen - at present that is not possible so all the sign boards in the world are not going to make a tap of difference - beside that I for one am getting sick of their misguided rubbish
More Muppetry?
Posted on 18-12-2014 15:47 | By socantor
Is it safe to assume that the 7000 muppets who paid for the billboard all have solar electricity and heating? And travel only on bikes/foot? And never use aeroplanes, etc?
good idea
Posted on 18-12-2014 15:58 | By karlpenlington
I think this is a good idea. yes we use oil but if we start trying to replace the oil with clean energy the costs will come down. it will take time but it is a good goal to work towards
Typical.
Posted on 18-12-2014 16:36 | By dgk
Typical of Bridges to be uninformed of what is really happening. He doesn't even know if all our concerns have answers, or what those answers are.
Blue Boy
Posted on 18-12-2014 17:42 | By BlueBoy
Hi Happimum I bet you have a car and use electricity etc, I for one would like to know what was used to make the big sign on the bill board and if it is solar power used to light it up at night so we can see it. The trouble with so called greenies is they expect that every body else needs to go with out to fix this problem but them, I agree we do have a problem but somebody needs to get to ball rolling why not start with the Greenies. We all need to work together to fix this issue but don't expect to make everybody else go with out or give it up unless you are prepared to do it as well. I am sick of hypocrites all making a noise about what everybody else should do and not doing themselves.
Yogi, Ted and Sambo...
Posted on 18-12-2014 17:46 | By Paul Melhuish
I love the comments by those saying that the activists should not be using oil related products at all as it is hypocritical. The point the activists make is not anti oil, it's anti more unnecessary oil exploration and subsequent drilling and that we can and should be looking for other forms of energy in tandem with existing oil production so as to make energy production sustainable and environmentally sound.This seems to go right over most commentators heads writing on this post.
Error in Heading
Posted on 18-12-2014 17:48 | By Paul Melhuish
Last heading should read 'Misdirected'
Overit
Posted on 18-12-2014 18:28 | By overit
The worlds Leaders are meeting soon to discuss global warming, finally they have realised we are in trouble and need to reduce emissions. Could we have some open minds and a little less knocking.
Is it necessary?
Posted on 19-12-2014 07:33 | By Paul Melhuish
Correction: The heading on my previous post should read as above and not the unrelated typo from a previous heading that managed to get on in it's place. Thanks.
@Paul Melhuish
Posted on 19-12-2014 09:45 | By BullShtAlert
What is unnecessary oil exploration and drilling? I think it begins to look hypocritical because activists seem ok about using oil from other countries, but not when it's drilled in our own backyards?? So what's so environmentally friendly about oil drilling anywhere? Actually nothing. That's where the hypocrisy begins in my opinion. of course we should be looking at alternatives and that's where the "activists" should be concentrating their energy and own investment. It's easy to tell others how to behave and what to invest in. Far harder to do it yourselves.
Blue Boy
Posted on 19-12-2014 09:45 | By BlueBoy
The problem I see with all of this is that the alternative will be more expensive than most will be able to afford, the other thing i see is that we have something they want ant at the moment they are asking fir it but if we keep resisting then the wont ask and they will just help themselves and could we do anything to stop them I THINK NOT. We also seem to have forgotten what we were to in school many years ago that the Earth is getting closer to that big Hot thing called the Sun have we all forgotten about that.
@Paul Melhuish
Posted on 19-12-2014 09:59 | By morepork
Your comment gets my vote as the most sensible one here and I endorse it 100%.
Have to agree with JR
Posted on 19-12-2014 12:26 | By Surfwatch
I arranged a quote to have solar water heating installed. It was going to cost $12,000. I was told it would not work very well at night and in the winter months. I worked it out it would be like a 10 - 15 year payback period. Probably during that time it would need replacement. Clean Energy probably costs more than 4 times as much as oil. Bring down the cost of clean energy and I will subscribe.
@ BullShtAlert
Posted on 19-12-2014 13:31 | By Paul Melhuish
Unnecessary exploration and drilling means exactly what it says...this planet certainly isn't some bottomless pit of fossil fuels. We have alternatives which will come down in price once more people take them on. Time to start thinking about them more seriously and have future oil exploration as a back up plan if needed.
@ Paul again
Posted on 22-12-2014 10:03 | By BullShtAlert
So just to play the devils advocate a bit, what exactly is unnecessary oil exploration? Is is oil exploration in our own backyard, is it in the shale fields of Canada, is it in Texas? If it's in our backyard then that does seem hypocritical to me. We all know oil isn't a bottomless pit and we have inventors to thanks for some alternatives. Tauranga has just had a visit from an electric car. How many have ordered one? We have a good bus service now. How many use it? I'm just trying to sort out the hypocrites from the genuine practice what they preach people.
@ BullShtAlert
Posted on 23-12-2014 13:52 | By Paul Melhuish
There is not a lot that you can do on a practical level about excessive oil exploration happening in other parts of the world. You can object, and people do but there is no way of having a voice for that objection from the other side of the world. Here however, you can, due to our own backyard being targeted and people are showing there displeasure directly to those making decisions and are hence getting publicity. This whole hypocrite angle I just don't buy. If you want to survive in this world it is oil that makes it tick at the moment...for everyday people it's unavoidable. This doesn't make people who object to more oil exploration hypocrites. They are just working with what we've currently got hoping to one day move to other more sustainable options. Is drilling or hypocrisy the issue for you?
Backyard Blues
Posted on 27-12-2014 11:26 | By kiwiasauras
I feel oil is needed in the world at present as many countries rely on oil for their survival.We have a beautiful place in Aotearoa, Sea and land .Our assets are this!Buy oil from countries that produce oil and sell our tourism ,fish ,fruit and beauty to them.Pretty simple !
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