Solid Energy neither legal, moral or ethical
Press Release: Save Happy Valley Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

The Save Happy Valley Coalition is rubbishing the claim of Solid Energy CEO Don Elder that his company only acts in "legal, moral and ethical"ways after a spy was found to have infiltrated the Christchurch Save Happy Valley group, employed by private investigation firm Thompson & Clark who were in turn hired by Solid Energy.

"Solid Energy's activities cannot be described by any reasonable person as legal, moral or ethical" stated Frances Mountier, Save Happy Valley Coalition spokesperson. "They have pushed a species to extinction, a process described as noxious in the Environment Court. They are responsible annually for carbon emissions equivalent to the entire domestic transport fleet in New Zealand. Now, we know that they planted an unregistered spy in our group - a clear breach of the law.

"Solid Energy's only interest is in maximising profit, and minimising political fallout," said Ms Mountier. "Thompson & Clark employed Ryan to forward all internal communications, write regular reports on Save Happy Valley meetings, and provide information as requested by Solid Energy. Gavin Clark met with Ryan before he joined Save Happy Valley; he came along already employed by Thompson and Clark. This undermined the implied confidentiality of core planning meetings for non violent direct actions, legal discussions and strategy. Meetings were even held at Ryan's house."

Section 34 of the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act 1974 provides

"(1) No holder of a private investigator's licence shall, either by himself or in partnership with any other licensee, employ or permit to act as a responsible employee in the business of a private investigator any person who is not the holder of a certificate of approval to be a responsible employee of a private investigator.

(3)Any person who—

(a) Being a licensee, employs any person as a responsible employee, or permits any person to act as a responsible employee, in contravention of subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section …
commits an offence [against this Act]."

ENDS

© Scoop Media