An eastern Bay of Plenty iwi opposed to deepsea oil drilling is encouraging other tribes to fight energy exploration in their rohe or district.
Te Whanau-a-Apanui has joined with Greenpeace to file an application for a judicial review of an oil prospecting permit to Brazilian oil company Petrobas to be heard by the High Court in Wellington.
The iwi wants the licence to be quashed, citing both environmental and Treaty of Waitangi grounds.
Spokesperson Robert Ruha says while Te Whanau-a-Apanui would like other tribes to follow its example, he accepts it is up to each individual iwi.
He says other tribes have their own mana, as given to them by their tipuna or ancestors and their own individual obligations.
