17 July 2013

Unitedfuture Supports Doc Investigating 1080 Alternatives

UnitedFuture Ieader Peter Dunne is supporting the Department of Conservation against criticisms from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that it is not using enough 1080 poison to curb possums.

Yesterday, the Parliamentary Commissioner criticised DOC for not spending enough on 1080 drops and too much on research into alternatives to 1080.

But Mr Dunne says he supports DOC’s efforts to find alternatives to 1080.

“I think the Parliamentary Commissioner is being short sighted.

“Very few people argue that 1080 is the ideal solution, and there have been constant calls over the years for more research to be done into viable alternatives.

“DOC has under strong criticism from many recreational groups for what was seen as too rigid an approach to 1080 – now when it is doing much more at looking at viable alternatives, it gets criticised by the Parliamentary Commissioner for not being rigid enough!

“In my view, DOC has got the balance about right.

“Of course, we must protect the conservation estate in  particular from unwelcome predators – no-one seriously questions that – but as New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world to still use 1080, we must also be constantly looking at alternatives,” he says.

Mr Dunne says the Parliamentary Commissioner’s 2001 and 2013 reports show a “blinkered” approach which “detracts from the impartiality of her office.”

Mr Dunne is calling on the Parliamentary Commissioner to work with DOC on a balanced approach to the use of 1080 and alternatives, rather than to keep attacking its efforts.

“All she ends up doing is looking like a stooge for the Animal Health Board and the 1080 industry,” he says.

Hon Peter Dunne

MP for Ohariu

Leader of UnitedFuture

Visit our website at www.unitedfuture.org.nz

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