He's had his face on the side of a Wellington building, a hoax website set up, now Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges is set to receive a postcard signed by 7000 deep sea oil protesters.
ActionStation, a community action website, is in the process of putting together a billboard covered in thousands of signatures to show the Tauranga MP that many Kiwis are concerned about oil drilling.
Tauranga MP with a photo-shopped postcard he is going to be sent by ActionStation. Photo: Supplied.
But Bridges has hit back at disapprovers, claiming they 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.”
As of today, the group has 6213 members pledging their support towards the 7000 target.
The project comes after Simon awarded 15 new oil and gas exploration permits as a result of Block Offer 2014 earlier this week, saying he believes the public's level of concern about oil drilling has lessened in the last few years.
The Green Party have since come out saying the Maui's dolphin is being pushed to the brink of extinction with the new permits given the green light to drill in their Marine Mammal Sanctuary, Victoria Forest Park.
ActionStation national director Marianne Elliott says the group wants Simon to acknowledge it is still concerned about mining and deep-sea oil drilling.
She adds many people are very concerned and want a chance to have their views seen and heard.
The members have already reached the $1000 goal needed to secure a site in Tauranga area, with the billboard to go up in the coming weeks.
In terms of the Maui's Dolphins, Simon says there is no need for concern as oil, gas and marine mammal life have been existing in the Marine Mammal Sanctuary for many years.
He adds: 'There isn't any evidence of a single incident caused by oil and gas - that's more fisheries.”
8 comments
disgusted.
Posted on 12-12-2014 13:51 | By niltiac
There are reasons why people are against oil drilling and its mainly because we care and respect the environment we are living in. We don't think that money is a good enough reason to risk harm to our marine life let alone our country. We don't want sink holes or pollution. We don't want our Maui dolphins to face extinction altogether or explosions on the rig that kill people and cause further harm. People need to realise we can't afford these risks because if all goes wrong its tax payers money cover the damage when we all don't agree. NZ government should support being green as we are a country and not a business. Environment first money second.
No Minister, NOT mis-informed
Posted on 12-12-2014 14:02 | By Murray.Guy
No Minister, NOT mis-informed, mischievous! We have informed and largely educated shepherds leading 'all too willing sheep'! The 'so-called' protestors are well aware that there is absolutely zero evidence that either warrants or in any way substantiates their abuse and undermining of integrity based conservation issues. By 'crying wolf' they undermine responses when very real evidence based concerns are expressed.
Get real
Posted on 12-12-2014 14:44 | By roger1
I presume niltiac either rides a bike or drives an electric car
Tyical...
Posted on 12-12-2014 14:47 | By penguin
...arrogant attitude and rhetoric from Bridges and the national government. They are never wrong but everyone else, including experts, is. One day the strings that make him dance will break - then what?
Simon knows nothing.
Posted on 12-12-2014 17:56 | By dgk
Simon Bridges has proven many times that he is the misinformed one with no idea of what he is doing. And this kind of cry-baby response sums it all up really.
Don't be too critical
Posted on 12-12-2014 19:07 | By davidt5
Until you can show the rest of our community that you do not travel around our city in either a petrol or diesel powered vehicle. Otherwise where do you think these petroleum products are coming from? They come from deep under to land - sometimes from land which is covered by water.
Pretty Safe?
Posted on 13-12-2014 08:12 | By Disappointed
Following the lead of Stephen Joyce and his "I think it's, um, pretty legal" approach to copyright infringement the only surprise here is Simon Bridges has yet to suggest that deep water oil exploration is "um, pretty safe".
Huh?
Posted on 19-12-2014 20:12 | By Paul Melhuish
What on earth are you on about Murray?
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