Palmer Verdict Good News for Spray Victims
Helen Wiseman-Dare, Chairperson, West Aucklanders Against Aerial Spraying said today that the legal opinion from Sir
Geoffrey Palmer was good news for the thousands whose health and lives had been devastated by the aerial spraying.
A year ago this month, spraying began over 600 hectares. This has now increased to nearly 12,000 hectares (3 times the
area sprayed in east Auckland for the Tussock Moth) and eradication is still nowhere in sight. In fact, MAF still do not
know exactly how far the moth has spread. With new finds being made regularly, it is too late to eradicate this moth,
she said.
People have paid for this failed eradication campaign with their health and will continue to pay well into the future.
MAF doctors refuse to confirm in writing that the spray will not cause future health effects or permanent damage to
people's health. As more and more reports of severe health effects continue to pour in it is clear that victims must put
pressure on their City Councils to take action under the Health Act to have the spraying stopped, as Sir Geoffrey Palmer
has indicated.
This gross abuse of our human rights must not be allowed to continue.
Helen Wiseman-Dare Chairperson, WASP (West Aucklanders Against Aerial Spraying)