MAF desperately clutching at hairs to justify spray campaign

Helen Wiseman-Dare, Chairperson, West Aucklanders Against Aerial Spraying said today that MAF were desperately trying to justify their aerial spray campaign over 200,000 Aucklanders by claiming that the PAM caterpillar caused adverse health effects.

It is outrageous that MAF continue to deny the health effects of the spray while making a huge fuss about a few caterpillar hairs, she said.

It's ludicrous to compare one person having a shortlived reaction to a caterpillar with the 10,000 people (5% of those in the spray zone) who the government has admitted are allergic to the spray. The health of many of these people has been permanently affected with some having to sell up and move out of Auckland to protect themselves from the spray, she said.

To my knowledge no parks have ever been closed overseas because of the caterpillar. People in Australia where the moth originates from and where it is widespread, know not to touch the caterpillar.

People can choose whether to touch a caterpillar, but have no choice over whether they are sprayed.

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