Editorial: Rational debate needed

Tamati Coffey led the protest fighting for the Maui dolphin.

It was as if the Labour crisis management team had a pow wow following the Cunliffe disaster. What could they do to distract the public from the Donghua Liu saga? Imagine them brainstorming - "We need cute animals, a reality TV star, scaremongering about the future of New Zealand's precious natural environment, something that Kiwis from all ends of the political spectrum cherish."

So ran Saturday's protest through town against Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges' decision to allow oil exploration in a marine sanctuary home to the rare Maui's dolphin.

Rotorua Labour candidate MP Tamati Coffey led the group. More than 300 turned up, which for Tauranga is a big number. Just 80 people turned up in April for a protest against child abuse organised by Tauranga local Suzy Brown. Seems we care more about dolphins than children.

I am all for democratic debate, but in the off shore oil drilling issue there needs to be more balance, more rational examination of both sides of the arguments, and less hysteria.

On the one hand, it makes sense to me that if the dolphins are in a protected sanctuary, it should remain so. Yet the counterarguments are also valid that 95 per cent of threats to Maui's dolphins come from fishing-related activities, and that despite 23 wells (most approved by Labour) being drilled within the West Coast North Island Marine Mammal Sanctuary over the past 40 years there has not been a single incident involving Maui's dolphins. I was also surprised to read that New Zealand's largest producing gas field, Pohokura already operates within the sanctuary.

So in cooking my eggs on Sunday and driving my car to work, am I also putting the dolphins in danger?

In an ideal world, offshore exploration would not go near protected sanctuaries. New Zealanders must feel comfortable that there is a responsible exploration of our resources.

I want New Zealand's unique environment to be protected but I also want its prosperity lifted. The economic value to New Zealand of exploring and mining our natural resources is significant. There should be responsible rational examination of the arguments so that both can be achieved safely.