Media release
9 November 2012

High RMA Fine For Illegal Dumping

A case of illegal dumping brought by Auckland Council has resulted in the highest Resource Management Act fine ever for a council prosecution.

The Auckland District Court has imposed a fine of $175,000 on Adams Landscapes Ltd, $35,000 on Aviation Country Club of New Zealand Inc. and $6,000 investigation costs on Andrew Clark.

Auckland Council’s case involved a landscaping and earthmoving firm, which illegally dumped fill in the Coastal Marine Area, on farmland and at a golf club. Some of the fill dumped on land was contaminated with hydrocarbons. The Council also prosecuted the occupants of the properties where the fill had been dumped.

The criminal prosecution was undertaken by Auckland Council’s Natural Resources and Specialist Input Unit, CBD team and Central enforcement team.

Auckland Council's Resource Consents Manager Heather Harris says a priority for the Resource Consents department is the protection of the environment.

"Compliance staff from several areas were involved, along with natural resources specialists. It was a complicated and lengthy investigation," said Ms Harris.

Illegal dumping is a significant issue in the Auckland region and is regarded seriously by the courts. It tends to occur when operators want to avoid paying charges for correct disposal of fill at licensed disposal facilities.

"It is important for contractors to dispose of fill carefully and legally. Council is concerned about illegal dumping because the contaminants can cause serious harm to the environment and to human health.

“Our scientists report that it causes discharges to the environment of heavy metals including lead, other metals such as arsenic, petroleum products and harmful chemicals such as cyanide.

“Illegal dumping can also result in uncontrolled discharges of sediment to our waterways and the sea causing harm to fish and other aquatic life, and to vegetation. Sediment is the largest cause of shellfish loss in our marine environment,” said Ms Harris.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage