Auckland Transport faces Human Rights Accusations

A regional group is frustrated and angry that Auckland Transport is continuing to drag its feet on implementing Auckland Council policy and stop using toxic sprays on the region’s streets and roads. It has finally resorted to commissioning a human rights impact assessment on Auckland Transport’s potential liabilities if it continues to fail to meet its human rights obligations.

Dr Meriel Watts of the Weed Management Advisory (WMA) said today that Auckland Transport like any other central or local government organisation has a duty to protect people’s health.

“Currently they are singularly failing to do so, even though we have continued to clearly detail the scientific evidence of the adverse human health effects of the chemical glyphosate still being promoted and used by Auckland Transport on our roads,” she said.

Dr Watts said that this information was brought to the attention of Auckland Transport’s Board again last month in a report in which the WMA not only detailed the huge body of independent scientific evidence linking glyphosate to adverse effects on human health and the environment, but the fact that Auckland Transport were perpetuating inaccuracies that non-chemical alternatives were twice as expensive as chemicals. (1)

Hana Blackmore of the WMA agreed, saying that it was unconscionable that even when Auckland Transport had unimpeachable tender documents that costed non-chemical vegetation control at the same price as glyphosate, Auckland Transport were still telling Councillors and the public that they couldn’t change unless an “adequate budget is made available for more expensive methods.” (2)

“It is of huge concern that these costing myths continue to be ‘officially’ promulgated as fact” said Blackmore, “and the public apparently has no right to check or authenticate this information”.

“As late as last September, at the height of the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the alleged corruption over roading contracts, we asked for an urgent independent review and audit of road corridor vegetation control contracts. This has never been done, or if it has, it has not been made public” said Blackmore.

Dr Watts said that Auckland Transport’s continual delaying tactics in failing to review costs and services was not good enough when people are experiencing disabling acute and chronic effects of being exposed to roadside spraying.

“We know of seriously ill people who are literally trapped in their homes week after week to avoid the chemical spraying regimes, people unable to go to work and children unable to attend school, either because they have been made ill by the chemicals, or will be if exposed to them yet again.”

“We believe these people’s human rights are being violated because they are effectively being discriminated against due to their vulnerability to chemicals that they absolutely cannot avoid” said Dr Watts.

What is even worse say the WMA is that only a minority of Aucklanders are still being subject to chemicals, because over two thirds of the population have enjoyed non-chemical control for over 15 years.

“Even a layman would see that it is highly unjust that some people are being discriminated against based solely on where they live” said Blackmore. “It is one of the main reasons why we believe Auckland Transport is failing to meet their human rights obligations to protect everyone equally.”

The Advisory says they will be asking for an urgent meeting of the Auckland Transport Board to consider the Human Rights Impact Assessment as soon as it is to hand. They are still considering whether to also lay a complaint with the Ombudsman and the Auditor General over the continual denial of costing information.

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