Thursday 23 January 2003

No Aerial Operation Between 8.00-10.00am On Wednesday 29 January

The next target date for an aerial operation across the entire painted apple moth eradication zone is Tuesday 28 January – weather permitting.

The 10,000-hectare operation is likely to take more than one day to complete. If it is necessary to have aircraft in the air on Wednesday 29 January – the first day of the school year for many children – their will be no flying between 8.00 and 10.00am.

“After phoning the majority of schools in the affected area to remind them about the planned aerial operation, we have decided to ground aircraft for the first hour of the first school day” says Robert Isbister, General Manager of the painted apple moth programme.

“Many schools, particularly primary schools, assemble their students outside on the first day of the term to announce class lists. We are very concerned about interrupting this process and have reorganised our flight patterns. We will stay out of the air to allow children to travel to school and settle into their new classrooms” he adds.

As usual during term-time, there will also be no aerial operations between 12.15-1.00pm and 3.00-4.00pm – lunch and travelling times for many school children.

If the operation proceeds on Tuesday 28 January, aircraft will remain on the ground between 8.00-9.00am, 12.15-1.00pm and 3.00-4.00pm.

The public can call the free phone 0800 96 96 96 for general information about the programme. People can also listen to Newstalk ZB, 531 pi, AM 990 BC and Radio Korea 1386AM for updates.

ENDS

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