Cross Posted from 3News
By Jessica Rowe
The Government is cracking down on protesters who are targeting offshore mining operations in New Zealand waters.
Energy Minister Simon Bridges has proposed tougher penalties and hefty fines to prevent activists from interfering with the lucrative industry.
It’s two years since a flotilla of activists jumped into the water in front of a Petrobras oil survey ship off the North Island’s East Cape.
The Brazilian oil giant later pulled out of New Zealand and the Government says because of this protest it’s now planning to introduce harsher penalties to prevent unsafe protesting against mining operations out at sea.
“We don’t think it’s about legitimate rights to protest in this sort of instance. It’s actually about dangerous, reckless behaviour, which should be seen as criminal,” says Mr Bridges.
Under the proposed offences, intentional damage to a mining vessel would carry a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison, or a fine of up to $100,000.
Protestors are restricted from coming closer than 500 metres of a seismic vessel. Any breach could attract a fine of up to $10,000.
But Greenpeace says the Government is trying to scare away legitimate democratic protests.
“It’s about the Government saying ‘yes’ to the foreign oil industry and ‘no’ to the concerns of New Zealanders who don’t want to see a Gulf of Mexico oil disaster,” says Greenpeace’s Steve Abel.
Mr Bridges says there are safer ways for protestors to voice their concerns.
“This is not about stopping democratic protests. People have ability to protest outside businesses on the street, out at sea when they want to. But what they can’t do is go about getting in the way of people doing their legitimate activities,” he says.
Greenpeace maintains it should have the right to protest in whatever way it wants.
