Auckland Deliberately Sprays People With Pesticide To Kill A Minor Pest

Auckland New Zealand is being sprayed from the air at 3-weekly intervals with Foray 48B pesticide. Next spray is scheduled for 13th November, if the weather permits. Spraying is planned to continue for the next 3 years.

Why spray a major residential area with a population of 165,000? What is in the spray called Foray 48B? Why does the sprayer advise staying indoors if it is safe?

Is a moth worth the potential effects on people?

In Auckland, New Zealand, host of the America's Cup, a country known for its clean waters and green pastures, the first democracy to introduce universal suffrage, the Government has authorised the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to spray an urban area in the hope of eradicating the painted apple moth.

The unwanted Australian moth seems to have arrived in the country four years ago as a result of a failure in Biosecurity.

Ministry forecasts and a government advertising campaign claim the moth is a dangerous predator. They base this on evidence from feeding trials in the laboratory.

The caterpillar is a minor pest in its native Australia and there is no international evidence to support the economic risks to the forestry industry claimed by ministry staff.

On October 23rd West Auckland was sprayed for eleven hours by two fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter flying at only 150 feet above homes,schools,workplaces and hospital.

Children were sprayed at a school sports day and on their way to and from school. The Ministry advised that children should go to school but be kept indoors with windows and doors shut for the duration of spraying and 2 hours afterwards.

As spraying continued for 11 hours this was impossible. The atmosphere in the classrooms became untenable. If the spray is harmless, as claimed by the government, why was this advice given?

If the advice is important then why is it impossible to follow?

If the spray is harmless why are people experiencing symptoms they consider serious and why are the authorities evacuating some people from the area at government expense during spraying?

Many people are experiencing many physical symptoms following spraying.

They are unable to establish the allergen causing their symptoms because the contents of Foray48B is an industrial secret, which the government declines to reveal.

Tourism is affected. Businesses note that clients cancel appointments to avoid being sprayed. Real Estate values may fall.

Visitors to the America's cup may steer away from West Auckland Politicians are satisfied that this is an acceptable level of collateral damage.

Those affected do not agree.

This is not just a health interest story, it is a story that is challenging for science, community decision making, conservation, and economic well-being.

This website put up by local people YOU ARE INVITED to send a team to Auckland to experience the sight sound and smell of the next aerial assault on Auckland people. You need to be there to understand the magnitude of the problem. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like further information.

Yours faithfully,
Herewini Kaa
PO Box 30 Waitakere
Auckland 1008
New Zealand

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