NZ First still blocking the Kermadecs

Stuff reports:

Environmentalists have taken their fight to protect the Kermadecs to Parliament, delivering tiny drops of water from the remote island chain to MPs.

Representatives from WWF, Forest and Bird, Pew and Ngati Kuri braved lashing rain and squalls to take their bid for a massive marine sanctuary to Parliament’s forecourt. 

They delivered 120 lapel pins – each containing a drop of salt water taken from a depth of 2km around the islands. MPs from National, the Greens and Labour picked up their vial, but NZ First snubbed the event.

Winston Peters’ party is the stumbling block in talks to get a deal on the reserve.

There’s over 110 votes for the sanctuary in the Parliament, but Labour agreed Winston could veto it on behalf of the fishing industry.