Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Tribe makes new bid to block search for oil

Updated at 6:43 am on 19 July 2012

An East Coast iwi is making another legal bid to stop the deepwater search for oil off its coastline.

Te Whanau a Apanui says it's filed papers with the Court of Appeal, after losing a case at the High Court in Wellington last month.

The tribe, and Greenpeace, asked a judge to quash the exploration permit won by the Brazilian energy company, Petrobras - but they lost.

The iwi and the environmental group are now appealing a ruling that the Crown did not have to consider environmental obligations when the permit was issued for the Raukumara Basin.

They're also challenging the finding that the Crown did not breach its Treaty of Waitangi obligations including proper consultation with the tribe.

The iwi fears exploratory drilling could lead to an oil spill.

Te Whanau a Apanui spokesperson Rikirangi Gage says their legal action is being funded by the iwi and they will use the same lawyers that brought the High Court case.

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