Solid Energy stands by use of Security advisors
Solid Energy stands 100% by its use of security advisors to help protect its people, its property and its business
against the ongoing and increasingly illegal activities of environmental activists.
Solid Energy Chief Executive Officer, Dr Don Elder, today hit back hard following an article in the Sunday Star Times: “All businesses gather a wide range of information to protect themselves against risk. We’re no different; one of our significant risks is the illegal activities of these activists, which are specifically designed to cause us maximum economic damage. As part of our security risk management we employ advisors, including Thompson & Clark Investigations Ltd (TCIL), to provide us with information and advice to manage and minimise these sorts of risks to our business.
"We contract with them on the same basis as all our other consultants and contracts; that all the activities they carry
out are legal, ethical and moral. We are fully satisfied that all TCIL’s and others’ work for us complies with this
requirement.
“Time and time again over the last two years activists have tried to damage our business. These people are not
peaceful, legitimate critics or protestors. These groups include anarchists who have stated publicly that they believe
they do not need to act within the laws of New Zealand. Their actions have repeatedly broken the law, and part of their
purpose is to intimidate staff and others associated with our company.
Activists have repeatedly harassed our staff. In recent weeks they have also harassed and attacked the home of one of
our directors. Just on Friday two activists were seen, by a number of staff,filming and ‘casing’ our Christchurch office
from the street. They have shown they are willing to endanger their own lives and others by chaining themselves to
railway lines and by camping out in an area closed for public safety reasons due to blasting.
“This occupation of the blasting zone was the tipping point that forced us to cancel export shipments with the potential
loss of $25 million to the company. We have a responsibility to take appropriate steps to protect our business and the
public investment in our company against illegal and inappropriate activities. We have been doing this and we will
continue to do so”.
“We will not discuss any details of our security arrangements, as this would prejudice and disadvantage our ability to
carry out our commercial activities. However I would like to be absolutely clear. We stand behind Thompson & Clark Investigations Ltd and their work for us. Their activities are legal, moral and ethical, and they conduct their
business in compliance with their industry standards which are widely accepted and consistent with international
practices. These are standards which the activists do not have and could not comply with.
“Solid Energy treats the security of our business and the safety of our staff extremely seriously. We will do whatever
is appropriate to ensure our staff and contractors work in a safe environment, to protect our property and to minimise
disruption to our business.
None of this should come as any surprise. It’s what businesses do. Those who claim otherwise are simply trying to mask
their own true objectives which are to maximise the damage to our business. Their pathetically contrived outrage is
totally without any legal, moral or ethical justification.”
Ends