PIRATES ON THE HIGH SEAS

The PM has given Greenpeace an overdue serve over their antics on the high seas as Petrobas, the Brazilian Mineral exploration company, has a squizz off the North East coast to see what lies beneath.

Greenpeace are claiming to be worried that Petrobras's exploration could lead to the same issue as BP faced off America.

Actually Greenpeace has worked out that this is a high profile issue and they can sell it worldwide as "big government that doesn't care up against poor natives who worry about their land."

It is such a compelling picture to those who will only get half the story.

Big Govt vs Brown people - it will have hearts bleeding around the planet. Its a media wet dream.

Sadly Te Whanau Apanui cant see that Greenpeace is exploiting them as the poster children for what will build into a world wide campaign. They are just pawns in the Greenpeace money making machine.

Truth is that Te Whanau Apanui have no more rights to the area Petrabas is mining as do Stewart Island Maori or a pakeha in Parnell.

We grew up with the Penrod Drilling rigs in our back yard in the 70's. They moored in Paterson inlet. No environmental damage at all.

There were jobs a plenty and Southlanders to this day are still waiting for the time when the technology catches up with the oil reserves buried deep on the Southern Ocean floor.

We have a personal stake in islands and land dotted around Stewart Island. Rakiura is still the place of our heart. But we would welcome oil exploration off Rakiura in fact we are on the record saying that we need to know what is actually on Stewart Island as well.

Thing is Greenpeace is in the mining game. - Mining the hysterical and the tree lovers emotions to see if they can come up with enough guilt that they can turn into gilt.

Greeenpeace is fully of people who like swanning around on the sea on daring do holidays paid for by poor mis-informed people who thing all big companies and governments are bad.

John Key has signalled he is going to send in the Navy to ensure that Petrobas can go about their business. The Government is in a catch 22 situation. If it does nothing - it risks losing a real opportunity to map the potential resource in the area.

If it does send in the navy it risks the issue going global.

Greenpeace will be laughing all the way to the bank.

What is needed is greater education around just what Petrobas is actually doing.

Our economic future is as insecure as it has probably ever been in our history. We need to know what resources we have. We need to weigh up the opportunities and the risks rationally.We cannot afford to close our eyes to any economic possibilities.

Greenpeace's doe eyed warriors are out on the streets again, wanting people to sign up to their cause. A cause that keeps many people on a permanent holiday. They do not add to economic growth and quite frankly it is very difficult to see just how much of the planet they actually "save."

So no doubt the haters and the wreckers will pepper this blog with crap about how we have never saved a bloody thing. - wrong. Our name is on the Head of Agreement for Rakiura Maori Land that ensured that 3000 ha of Stewart Island was never milled.

We were also instrumental along with many of our kith and kin, to ensure that the ecology of the muttonbird islands are protected for ever.

We have a very strong conservation ethic and have applied it in a practical way.

We have saved lots of shit and we are proud of it.

Greenpeace has little to show for its efforts apart from a lot of noise, considerable media coverage and a shitload of money in the bank. $60 million NZ in fact.

What has it saved in NZ? What has been its impact on the ecology of New Zealand?

The truth is two tenths of feck all.

We are proud to be served by a government that wants to ensure a money making outfit cloaked in faux environmental outrage does not prevent another outfit who are going about their lawful business.

If I was young and carefree, I would love the life of a modern day Greenpeace pirate - the ships are state of the art, you get to be the "good guy" - You get to be housed with a whole heap of other " passionate people" who will share your ideals. You are continually stroked by the Greenpeace mind machine so you feel like a hero. And your board and keep is all paid for and you dont have to worry about shaving your armpits or putting on lippy.

They only down side is you might have to eat a shit load of bean sprouts.

As for the Government response? Go hard. We cannot and should not ever allow activists and indeed terrorists stop people from going about their lawful business.