Turangi/Tongariro battle over 1080

Mixed opinions on the use of 1080 poison drops to control possums were voiced at the Turangi/Tongariro Community Board’s meeting yesterday.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Animal Health Board, Department of Conservation, animal rights advocates, farmers and members of the local community in response to a petition organised by Turangi local David Livingstone opposing a planned drop of 1080 near Mt Kakaramea above Waihi Village.

1080 is used by the Animal Health Board to eradicate possums and other carriers of bovine tuberculosis (TB). New Zealand uses 85 percent of the worldwide supply of 1080 and is one of only a few countries which hasn’t banned the poison.

Nick Hancox, Animal Health Board’s communication manager, said TB poses a risk to the dairy industry, New Zealand’s biggest export earner accounting for around $10 billion of income annually.

“When an operation is put in place to deal with possums, it must be thorough and intensive so all possums are eradicated. If a small pocket is missed and allowed to continue to breed and move around, the disease will spread all over again,” said Mr Hancox.

The Chairman of the Turangi/Tongariro Community Board, Councillor Don Ormsby, said the public is aware of the risk TB poses to the livelihood of dairy and deer farmers, but the risks and potential threat to the environment, wildlife and humans by the use of 1080 needs to be addressed. “It is lethal stuff and there is widespread concern in the community as you can see by looking around this hall.”

Community board member Maggie Stewart suggested the use of 1080 is also threatening New Zealand’s tourism industry. “How can we say we are clean and green if we are dropping this terrible poison in huge amounts throughout the country?” she said.

According to Hamilton-based film-makers Clyde and Steve Graf, New Zealand's long-term use of 1080 is poisoning forest ecosystems and could drive birds and insect populations to extinction.

The pair screened their documentary Poisoning Paradise - Ecocide in New Zealand which shows the negative effects of 1080 on wildlife. The Graf brothers beleive 1080 kills indiscriminately, not only killing carriers of TB, but also deer, birds, horses, dogs, pets and even worms.

However, the Animal Health board states that research carried out by NIWA on the risks to land and human health show very few side-effects. “In water quality tests carried out by NIWA in 2000, 96 percent came back clean with the remainder showing small traces of 1080 which were within the recommended guidelines,” said Mr Hancox.

Councillor Ormsby said the board wants to see all relevant agencies work together to develop a sustainable alternative form of possum eradication or trapping. “There was an excellent turnout at the meeting so people are obviously concerned. They want to know what 1080 is capable of and I think the public meeting gave them a lot to think about,” he said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Turangi/Tongariro Community Board members agreed that TB related possum control programmes should continue but the widespread aerial use of 1080 as a method for such control should be banned.

The Turangi/TCB has recommended to Taupo District Council that it advocates with central government and other appropriate agencies on these matters.