22 Jun 2012

Greenpeace, iwi lose bid to stop oil exploration

7:21 pm on 22 June 2012

Greenpeace and an iwi say they have lost their legal bid to stop or delay oil exploration off the East Coast.

The environmental group and Te Whanau a Apanui challenged the Crown, arguing the tribe was not consulted and that there was no plan in place deal with any oil spill.

Greenpeace says a judge at the High Court in Wellington disagreed with those assertions.

The decision means the Crown followed the correct procedure when issuing a five-year permit to Petrobras, for the Brazilian energy company to search for oil in the Raukumara Basin.

Greenpeace and Te Whanau a Apanui are considering whether or not to appeal - saying there are good grounds to do so.