Aaron HawkinsDunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins has welcomed news that the last oil and gas exploration permit in the South Island is likely to be surrendered. "The Dunedin City Council does not support deep sea oil and gas exploration or extraction," Mr Hawkins said. Oil Free Otago spokeswoman Rosemary Penwarden said the Great South Basin was one of the wildest oceans in the world. Ms Penwarden disputed the industry’s claims that natural gas was a viable energy source in the transition to a fossil-free economy. "The commission seems to have seen through the spin that the oil and gas industry has been trying to teach us that gas is a transition fuel," she said.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 19, 2021 14:48 UTC