'I'm bloody proud': Clarke Gayford lauds Jacinda Ardern for ban on oil drilling

  • 12/04/2018

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is facing some backlash to her ban on oil and gas exploration, but she's got support where it counts.

Clarke Gayford, fishing show host and unofficial 'First Man' of New Zealand, took a break from his typical aquatic tweets to share a heartfelt message of support for his partner.

"Today NZ made a decision that paid more than hollow platitudes to being 'for the environment'," he wrote on Thursday afternoon.

"As much as I love being underwater, it's not somewhere I want to be permanently, so if not now.... when?

"This is what leadership looks like and I'm bloody proud of her," he finished.

While the likes of Greenpeace, WWF and even Shane Jones have sided with Ms Ardern, she has certainly had her fair share of critics after the announcement.

ACT Party leader David Seymour described the decision as "lose-lose", saying it will cost jobs and simply drive oil and gas exploration overseas, while New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom called it a "kick in the guts" for the Taranaki economy.

Newshub.