Brian Connell MP National Party Forestry Spokesman

25 November 2003

Greens owe Dr di Marco an apology

"The Greens should stop attacking our industries and start supporting them," says National Party Forestry spokesman Brian Connell.

"The Greens are spreading concerns over treated wood which are unfounded, unwarranted and unbelievable.

"Wood treated with Copper Chromium Arsenate has been used for decades without problems. I doubt there's a backyard in New Zealand that doesn't have some.

"The Greens claim there are health issues but they've been unwilling to provide data or allow the reports they cite to be independently reviewed. Now is the time to put up or shut up!

"The Environmental Risk Management Authority studied it in depth. They agreed it was safe. Now, we have another report from Australasia's leading toxicologists and they too have vindicated it," says Mr Connell.

"Now the Greens are outraged and trying to discredit both reports. Why?

"First, because the reports didn't produce the outcome they wanted and second because Dr Peter di Marco was involved with both reports.

"As far as the Greens are concerned, his involvement with one report which showed it was demonstrably safe, disqualifies him from ever voicing a professional opinion on the matter again," observes Mr Connell.

"The Greens may not have noticed, but Australasia has a small pool of experts to draw on. Even Australia has only three formally accredited toxicologists and Dr di Marco is a respected member of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.

"For the Greens to use his involvement to cast doubts on the two reports is a malicious slur on the reputation and professionalism of a highly capable scientist," says Mr Connell.

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