RAM media release 4.11.04

Rate rebates & government funds should pay for toxic costs

"RAM calls on the Minister for the Environment, Marion Hobbs, to front up and give Auckland local Councils the necessary funds to investigate suspect chemically contaminated sites?" says Elaine West of RAM - Resident Action Movement.

"In sharp contradiction to Auckland City's Mayor, we believe that it does not fall on individual property owners to pay to test for inherited chemical toxins. Government has taxpayer funds set aside for such tasks."

"In addition, the councils of Rodney District, Waitakere City, North Shore City, Manuaku City, Franklin District and Papakura District should offer rates rebates to property owners who may need to test for soil contaminants through no fault of their own," proposed Ms West.

"Greater Auckland's councils should approach central Government for funds should decontamination of toxic sites be necessary."

"As a safeguard to human and environmental health, every local Council should be obliged to inform the affected community of potential soil contamination and ensure availability of Council administered testing programmes under rates rebates schemes."

"Further, if any Council enters suspect or actual property contamination in a LIM report without informing the affected property owner then such practice should be viewed as being improper."

"As part of our investigations into the matter, we would like to hear from property owners across the greater Auckland region who think they have toxic soil conditions because of previous chemical spraying of horticultural land," said Ms West.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>