29 Jul 2011

Public meetings on oil drilling start Monday

7:32 pm on 29 July 2011

Public meetings begin in Tai Tokerau on Monday to drum up opposition to deep-sea oil drilling.

Greenpeace and East Coast iwi have joined forces to campaign against the mining of fossil fuels and they are taking their take around the country.

Veteran activist Mike Smith is representing Greenpeace, and Dayle Takitimu is speaking for Te Whanau-a-Apanui.

The Government recently announced it would not accept any bids for drilling in Northland waters.

Mr Smith says Greenpeace believes that's because of recent iwi protests against an oil survey off East Cape but he says that may change after the election.

The first meeting's on Monday at 6pm at Whangarei's Otangarei marae.