Letter to the Editor Tuesday March 4, 2014.

Shameful

The government's announcement that oil and gas exploration be non-notifiable is shameful and undemocratic.

This is yet another example of the government and its so-called Environment Protection Agency kow-towing to foreign oil giants instead of protecting New Zealanders' interests.

First the government create the Anadarko amendment to limit our ability to protest oil exploration at sea, now they have made the exploration non-notifiable, taking away our ability to have our say through the formal process.

Clearly they are worried that what the people want is not what they and the oil industry want.

Deep sea drilling opposition is a strong, growing, nation-wide movement not to be ignored.

It's time for the government to represent people, not industry, and begin the transition to the clean energy future that Kiwis are demanding.

NIAMH O'FLYNN

Oil Free Otago