The Marsden Point Oil Refinery, now operating as a fuel import terminal. Photo / File
The Marsden Point Oil Refinery, now operating as a fuel import terminal. Photo / File
Prominent anti-mandate protester Brad Flutey is calling for people to occupy the former Marsden Point Oil Refinery as a protest against its decommissioning.
Oil refining operations stopped at the end of last month, and the site became an import-only fuel terminal on Friday, April 1.
Several hundred jobs were expectedto be lost over the next two years.
The Marsden Point Oil Refinery, now operating as a fuel import terminal. Photo / File
A website, set up by Flutey on Tuesday night, claimed the goals of the occupation were to "stop the destruction, regain ownership, evolve it".
In a video posted online, Flutey encouraged people to occupy, "keep it lawful", and make sure that the staff can continue working during an occupation of the site.
The website did not suggest a start date for the protest. Organisers asked for support in the form of donations and help with logistics for an occupation.
"We hope to see all the individuals that helped keep the occupation of Parliament sensible," the website read.
"At this stage there have not been any protesters on site. Police recognise the public's right to protest peacefully and lawfully."
A spokesperson for Channel Infrastructure, formerly Refining NZ, who run operations at Marsden Point, said the company was in touch with police to ensure the smooth running of operations.
"We will continue to work with police to ensure that any protest activity does not disrupt our operations, or affect the safety of our staff."
The decision was made to change to an import-only operation following an 18-month review and wide consultation, the spokesperson said, and the site was now operating as an import terminal.
"We have completed the shutdown of our refinery assets and permanent decommissioning of these assets is underway."
It is not the first public opposition to the refinery's shutdown, which spells the end of oil refining in New Zealand.
Social Credit leader Chris Leitch started a petition last year against the refinery's shutdown seeking Government intervention, which got nearly 18,000 signatures.
Flutey was the Social Credit candidate for Northland at the 2020 election.
The prominent anti-vaxxer was arrested at the Parliament anti-mandate protest on February 26, accused of encouraging protesters to behave in a manner likely to cause violence and then for failing to comply with police orders.
Those charges were later dropped, but Flutey is currently facing charges stemming from a clash with police outside a Whangārei liquor store, allegedly over his refusal to wear a mask.
