In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, you'd be mad to think that deep sea oil drilling can be permitted without strict environmental controls. But that's exactly what our government is doing. In its mad rush for mineral resources - a desperate gamble born of its lack of any other economic plan - they have allowed foreign oil company Petrobras to start exploring off East Cape. If they find oil, then we'll have drilling there - with no safeguards to prevent a blowout and massive spill like that seen in the US.
Local iwi and environmentalists aren't happy about this threat to our coastline and our environment, so they're out there protesting, passively disrupting the survey. John Key's response? Send in the navy! Faced with a clear decision between people's democratic rights and the interests of foreign corporate polluters, Key chose the latter. Which means he's not our Prime Minister, but Petrobras'.
