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Regional | Oil

Iwi reps against oil exploration head to Statoil headquarters in Norway

A group against oil exploration in Te Reinga Basin plan to take their concerns and messages of widespread opposition to the head office of Statoil in Norway.

The delegation from Te Hiku o te Ika will depart for Norway today and plans to relay the concerns of iwi in the area which includes letters of opposition to oil exploration from Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Kahu and Te Rarawa.

According to a media release issued by the group they will meet with members of the indigenous Sami Parliament of Norway in an effort to gain support for a "future free of deep sea oil drilling."

The next destination will be Norway's oil capital Stavenger where the Statoil company headquarters are located.

The group plans to telL management of Statoil that their ships are not welcome in Aotearoa's seas.

Kaumatua and member of Te Ahipara Komiti Takutaimoana, Te Wani Otene says , "the iwi wants Statoil to surrender their permits and go home. We only have to look at recent history to see our future, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is still causing so much damage, we are not going to let that happen in Ahipara, to Te Oneroa a Tohe."

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Oil