The Peoples Inquiry online hearings go live this Thursday September 2nd and continue through to Saturday 4th. Interested people can register to attend and observe the hearings here.

Topics covered include:

Thursday 2nd Sept, Day 1 - Orchard spray drift, Hi-Cane, forestry sprays, roadside vegetation management, glyphosate, chronic health problems from exposure, environment and community.

Friday 3rd Sept, Day 2 - Te Ao Maori, dioxin at the Whakatane sawmill, long term health impacts, conservation, consultation, Treaty of Waitangi, 1080 & brodifacoum, harm to people and animals, Councils, District Health Boards.

Saturday 4th Sept, Day 3 - Historical and present day use of poisons in conservation, cocktail of chemical exposure at Whareroa Marae , EPA failures, glyphosate ecological damage, citizen farmer's observations, patterns of abuse, human rights, climate, rights of nature.

Read the full Hearing Schedule here.

Expert Commissioners to hear testimonies from across New Zealand

Four commissioners will listen to 3 days of oral submissions and write up a report with recommendations for the government. 

Collectively the commissioners share an impressive range of expertise. Their knowledge base includes: pesticide science, organics, sustainable alternatives, human rights impact assessments, freshwater ecology, mātauranga māori, Tiriti o Waitangi flora and fauna inquiry, environmental law, indigenous rights and statutory interpretation, including a focus on pesticides.

The People’s Inquiry is an alliance of organisations, groups and individuals working towards raising awareness about environmental health and the Inquiry's goal is to reduce the use of toxic chemicals and poisons in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Aotearoa has a contamination emergency

“It is time that the elephant in the room is called out: the poison-industrial complex.” said Stephanie McKee who is a member of the organising committee.

“The poison-industrial complex is a network of corporations, government bodies and even charitable trusts who profit from, or promote, the use of synthetic toxins in almost every sector of NZ society:agriculture, horticulture, conservation, plantation forestry and weed management.”

“After pressure from our school children climate activists, the government has declared a climate emergency. We also need to acknowledge that Aotearoa is suffering from a contamination emergency. All these toxins derive from the fossil-fuel industry. ”

“In these pandemic times, there is even more urgency to protect the health of the soils, water and air as well as human health. Organic horticulture and regenerative farming are the future of food production.”

“I’ve been working with a great team for nearly two years to bring together all the people involved in this People’s Inquiry – Te Uiuinga a te Tāngata. We are deeply grateful to our amazing commissioners for giving their time gratis to hear all the submissions over the coming three days.”

“The committee welcomes people to jump on board this waka - let’s work together to make Aotearoa a truly clean, green country.”

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