Clean Air Auckland
MEDIA RELEASE
New Group aims to Clean Auckland’s Air
1 July 2003
A new group called Clean Air Auckland has launched today with the aim of cleaning up Auckland’s air.
“We are a group of concerned citizens who want to draw attention to Auckland’s air pollution problems,” said group
co-chair Nancy Eisenberg.
“We think it’s appalling that Auckland has such terrible air quality, especially when the adverse health effects from
vehicle emissions are so well documented.” said Ms Eisenberg.
Clean Air Auckland has launched a petition to gather public support for the introduction of vehicle emission standards
and compulsory vehicle emissions testing as part of the WOF, and to demand cleaner fuel faster.
The Clean Air Auckland petition calls on Judith Tizard, Minister for Auckland, to do something urgently about air
pollution from motor vehicles. Judith Tizard is due to present a Cabinet paper in August with options to improve
Auckland’s air, and the group hopes that she will push for mandatory vehicle emissions testing.
“The Government has promised to look at this issue for so long and even acknowledged that New Zealand is far behind
other countries with regard to standards but nothing has been done to regulate vehicle emissions, which account for 80%
of Auckland’s air pollution. Just educating people isn’t enough,” said co-chair Tine Haas.
“Our petition calls for the Minister to bring in compulsory vehicle emission testing as part of the Warrant of Fitness,
and vehicle emissions standards. It’s a disgrace that we don’t have them when most of the world does,” Ms. Haas said.
The group has been meeting since April and has already drawn together a wide range of people including professionals
such as an automotive technician from California who is appalled at New Zealand’s smoky vehicles. Many other group
members have lived overseas and can compare Auckland’s air to other big cities. Some of the group’s members are also
concerned about the decline of alternative cleaner fuels, such as LPG, and also in investigating air pollution problems
in workplaces.
To obtain copies of the petition or to join the group, contact Nancy Eisenberg at ph (09) 845 5917 or e-mail
cleanairauckland@yahoo.co.nz.
Clean Air Auckland
Contacts: Nancy Eisenberg, co-chair: (09) 845 5917
Tine Haas, co-chair: (09) 302 0901 or (09) 376 5652