The Green Party will today in Parliament challenge the Government to outlaw spray drift at any level. As one way of
achieving this the party will strongly urge the government to pick up the Agricultural Chemical Trespass Bill, which
Labour supported for three years in Opposition.
Green MP Sue Kedgley will speak in the General Debate this afternoon on the high level of pesticide and chemical use in
New Zealand and the urgent need for people to be protected from unwanted exposure to chemicals through the chemical
trespass legislation.
Green Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons will also be asking a parliamentary question on controlling spray drift during
question time this afternoon.
Both MPs said yesterday's finding that a Waiotira farmer was poisoned by spray drift from neighbouring farms highlighted
the clear and pressing need for people and their property to be protected from any level of "chemical trespass".
Ms Kedgley said New Zealand sprays 3,300 tonnes of 300 different pesticide active ingredients every year and that
Transit New Zealand annually sprays around one tonne of chemicals onto the road-side alone. The answer to a written
question on Transit's chemical use is included along with a copy of Ms Kedgley's speech.
Ms Fitzsimons said she had been challenging then Environment Minister Simon Upton for over a year over draft government
regulations which plan to legalise certain levels of spray drift under the HSNO Act. These draft regulations are still
under consideration.
"The introduction of legalised levels of spray drift under the HSNO Act would not protect New Zealanders from a range of
highly toxic chemicals which their neighbours chose to spray. Yesterday's decision recognised the disastrous impact that
spray drift can have on the health of innocent people, backing up anecdotal evidence that I have been hearing from
sufferers of spray-drift poisoning for many years," she said.
"Legislating to require all spray drift to be confined within the property, for example by passing the Agricultural
Chemical Trespass Bill is the only way to provide the guarantees and safety which New Zealanders deserve and demand,"
she said.
Ends
Jeanette Fitzsimons MP: 04470 6661, 025 586 068 Sue Kedgley MP: 04 470 6717, 025 270 9088 Jonathan Hill (press
secretary): 04 470 6719, 021 110 1133