KEY POINTS:
The Government has rejected a petition calling for Napier's Marineland to replace its iconic dolphins.
Labour MP Russell Fairbrother's petition of 13,589 signatures asked the Government to permit and finance the replacement of dolphins Shona, who died in 2006, and Kelly, who is nearing the end of her life expectancy.
Parliament's local government and environment select committee said the scientific evidence showing the detrimental impact of keeping dolphins in captivity meant they could not support bringing in more dolphins.
Mr Fairbrother said he was not surprised by the committee's ruling, and laid blame with the city council saying they were covertly fighting the continuation of dolphins at the marine park.
"The city council don't want to continue with dolphins there and they're making good arguments for it not to," he said.
"The law exists for them to import dolphins if they want, but the city council don't want to and they're trying to hide from that."
Mr Fairbrother said he believed the council had plans to redevelop Marineland without the dolphins.
They were trying to avoid the "political flak" by letting the Government make the decision.
The discontinuation of dolphins would be a huge loss for Marineland, but he said he did not believe the rejection of the petition spelt doom for the park, Mr Fairbrother said.
"Marineland will continue as a marine zoo ... it will continue in that capacity but it won't be the crowd-drawer that the dolphins were."
- NZPA
