Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Dunne: ERMA 1080 report misses the point

United Future leader Peter Dunne is disappointed by the decision of the Environmental Risk Management Authority to allow the continued use of 1080 poison to control opossum numbers.

"By its own admission, ERMA is a reluctant supporter of 1080's use, describing it as a necessary evil. That misses the point about its use."

Mr Dunne said," ERMA has not addressed the indiscriminate nature of its use, particularly by way of aerial drops.

"It does not accept there is collateral damage to other animal life and the consequences of the poison, in the quantities that it is used, on the environment and entering the food chain.

"Of particular concern is the effect on wild deer populations that are an important part of New Zealand's game animal resource.

"That is why UnitedFuture sought and achieved the establishment of a Game Management Review as part of its confidence and supply agreement with the Labour-led Government."

A panel with representatives from the major recreational and conservation groups in New Zealand is currently working on sensibly managing deer, chamois, tahr and pigs as a sustainable game resource that has minimum impact on New Zealand's environment, but maximises the recreational benefit for the large number of deer stalkers and hunters in New Zealand.

"The continued indiscriminate use of 1080 puts that work at risk.

"ERMA needs to focus on more targeted use of poisons for pest management rather than giving the impression that there is no alternative to 1080 and it is all too hard to look at other ways of controlling pests.

I am certain the Game Management Review initiated by UnitedFuture will provide those answers," said Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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