The Star: November 03, 2016

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Thursday November 3 2016 7
News
Council firms up anti-oil stance
• By Bridget Rutherford
NOT HERE.
That’s the message the city
council will send to the Government
in its submission on the
proposed deep sea oil exploration
off the coast of Banks
Peninsula.
City councillors were to
approve their submission yesterday,
but decided to “strengthen”
it before it was finalised to send
a strong message that they
were implacably opposed to the
proposal.
All city councillors, but Cr
David East, voted in favour of
revisiting the submission with
Crs Sara Templeton, Tim Scandrett,
Vicki Buck and Pauline
Cotter to approve it.
They also voted to ask Ngai
Tahu and Environment Canterbury
to make submissions.
The block offer is a competitive
tender process, run by
New Zealand Petroleum and
Minerals, which encourages
companies to bid for exploration
permits.
The latest offer would open
a 210,884 sq km area of ocean
below Banks Peninsula for commercial
oil and gas exploration
tenders next year.
ON THE LINE: The Great-South/
Canterbury Basins block the Government
is considering opening up for oil and gas
companies to prospect.
It sits next to a marine sanctuary.
Cr East said the chances of an
oil spill were very slim.
But Cr Buck said the proposal
was “environmental
and economic
lunacy.”
She said the
country’s three
main sources
of income were
agriculture, horticulture
and tourism.
They relied
on the country’s
clean, green image,
which this
could jeopardise,
she said.
“The risks are
just too revolting
to even contemplate.”
If there was an
oil spill, the closest
equipment to
deal with it was in
Singapore, which
was a concern for
councillors.
Siana Fitzjohn,
of Oil Free
Otautahi, made a
deputation urging
city councillors to
be the voice of “moral reason”
because the public could not
have its say on the proposal.
“We’ve experienced the
trauma of losing a city, do
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we really want to invite the
trauma of losing our marine
eco-systems? Because I can tell
you it won’t be the oil executives
or the National MPs that will be
clearing oil and dead dolphins
off the beach.”
However, in response, resident
Brian Johnston said in his deputation
that they were “rantings
of a mad religion” and Canterbury
needed the money.
Cr East also said: “I’m not at
all supportive of political parties
and activist groups using
the city council as a platform
for promoting a political view
point.”
But Cr Yani Johanson said the
proposal was “morally wrong.”
Cr Glenn Livingstone agreed.
“In rugby league terms, when
you hit back, they call it the
big don’t argue, and I think we
should hit back today.”
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New freedom
camping
restrictions
• By Bridget Rutherford
FREEDOM CAMPING will be
banned across the city for vehicles
without toilets in them, and
completely in five problem areas.
The city council decided yesterday
to amend its Freedom Camping
Bylaw 11 months after it was adopted
due to reports of overcrowding and
health and safety concerns.
The changes will see freedom
camping banned across the city and
Banks Peninsula for vehicles without
on-board wastewater facilities. All
freedom camping will be banned at
Addington Park, Windsport Park,
Lower Styx River Mouth, French
Farm and Wainui.
Freedom camping was originally
allowed in those five areas. However,
city council chief executive Karleen
Edwards was forced to temporarily
ban it in March due to the concerns.
French Farm was immediately closed
to the public due to contamination
from overflowing septic tanks.
As part of the bylaw review, the
city council spent $19,435 on a report
into the on-site wastewater systems at
French Farm and Wainui.
The changes will come into effect
on December 1, while a full review
will be carried out in May.
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