More than 1000 protesters are expected to hit the beach tomorrow to demonstrate against deep sea oil drilling in New Zealand waters.
The Banners on the Beach pickets have been organised by a number of community groups in response to Texan oil giant Anadarko beginning exploratory work off the east coast of the South Island.
It failed to find enough oil to make drilling commercially viable during exploration in the Taranaki Basin, and has now set its sights on the Canterbury Basin.
The controversial practice of deep sea oil drilling has sparked outrage among environment groups in New Zealand, and protests across the country. Last year 5000 people gathered on North Island beaches to protest against drilling off the coast of Raglan.
Organisers of the Banners on the Beach events argue the chances of oil washing up on New Zealand beaches is too risky to allow deep sea oil drilling to go ahead, and have urged the Government to invest in technologies for renewable energy sources.
