Protesters have surrounded the venue of the New Zealand Petroleum Conference with ‘climate crime scene’ tape.
About 35 protesters are stationed in front of Queenstown’s Millenium Hotel, showing their displeasure at the conference and its attendees.
Protesters chanted “shame” as a group of what appeared to be conference delegates entered the hotel shortly before 9.30am.
A few security guards are stationed outside, but there is no police presence so far.
Ahead of the conference climate activist group Extinction Rebellion said it was organising a "counter-conference" to coincide with the summit, encouraging its own delegates to attend to "bestow a sense of shame on to this event and those who are supporting and facilitating it".
An event page on social media said while delegates of the petroleum summit hoped to "celebrate our petroleum industry", Extinction Rebellion would celebrate its vision of a fossil fuel-free future "loudly".
Details of the "counter-conference" would be released on social media to avoid "the security issues we have faced in the past".
"Our counter-conference will be creative, festive and fun!" the event post said.
"And always, of course, non-violent."
The two-day conference programme - which does not include the location, or dates - includes an address from Minister of Energy and Resources Dr Megan Woods, a New Zealand industry leader's address from NZ Oil and Gas chief executive Andrew Jeffries and a lunch in partnership with Halliburton, a United States multinational corporation with operations in more than 70 countries and net income of about $1.656 billion.
A variety of topics would be discussed in the commercial and regulatory and geoscience sessions, including the role of New Zealand's petroleum sector in lowering global emissions, "policy on the hoof: a case study of the ban on new petroleum exploration permits outside onshore Taranaki", and the potential for using gas hydrates as a carbon-efficient energy source for New Zealand.
Last week a protester allegedly forged a letter and emailed it to delegates for next week's New Zealand Petroleum Conference in Queenstown, informing them it had been cancelled.
Conference media manager Phil Rennie said the association was aware of the letter, which had been sent to members and conference speakers.
''It's disappointing and dishonest and I'm sure whoever sent it would be outraged if we did the same thing to them.''
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Comments
35 is that all.
This 'climate change' must not be very important if there were only 35.
Of course the oily conference hid its venue until the last minute, and staged it hundreds of kilometres from the bigger South Island Extinction Rebellion groups. Our members don't fly and drive EVs wherever possible. There is a small but active group in Queenstown Lakes, and most of the activists you see would be from there.
Here's a chant for the oily conference:
O-I-L-Y - You ain't got no alibi! You're OILY - oi oi - You're OILY!
There is a balance in living to the standard we know of today and keeping the planet healthy for future generations. Is that lady and her team members for real? I don't think so because if they were they would understand that the clothes they wear, the paints on the banners, the crime scene tape, the sticky tape, Bags and puffer jackets are all from the oil and gas in some way. I'm in noway suggesting they should be naked at all, but they should be in woollen clothing. We need to first find a suitable alternative that will not put us backwards and then ban such drilling for oil and gas.
What do you say?
The best thing to do with oil is to make fabric out of it - minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
First, to save our lives and the planet, we must stop burning fossil fuels. You can greatly reduce your emissions - 100% stop flying, minimise your use of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles (live near your work, bike, walk or use public transport). Use food and products grown locally, plant a vege garden. Buy out of op shops, not new crap straight to landfill.
Sort out your own lifestyle before you attack the people who are trying to wake everyone up about the problem.
Synthetic fabrics breakdown quicker than natural ones and these microplastic fabrics pollute our soils and waters (which lets face is screwed already). Although your policy of people should bike and live closer to work maybe practical in Otago it does not work for the rest of NZ nor the other 99.999% of the world population.
Protesting about oil companies is just an excuse to protest because you can't think of anything better to do, in NZ we mostly produce gas and 80% goes to heavy industry the remainder heats people's homes, all our oil is exported.
I agree people should sort out their lifestyles, have fewer children and use less energy (insulate your house) for starters, once all NZ homes have done that then that would be a good time to looking at our energy supply but as long as people want it then it will be used. Don't blame the petroleum company for giving us what we ask for.