Auckland Students Call for Elder's Resignation

Auckland Students Call for Elder's Resignation

FOR IMMEDIATE USE:

Press release: Greens on Campus, Students for Sustainable Transport and Oxfam, Auckland.

Students from the environmental and human rights groups at the University of Auckland are calling for Don Elder's resignation after revelations that Solid Energy, the state owned enterprise Don Elder directs, paid spies to infiltrate environmental and animal rights groups in Christchurch and Wellington. The students are also calling for an assurance from the government that, in future, state owned enterprises will no longer employ infiltrators. Similar appeals for Don's resignation have also been made by the Green Party and many other non-governmental organizations around the country.

Although Solid Energy admit that they have employed a firm of private investigators, Thompson and Clark, to gather information for them in the past, Don Elder refused to agree that employing spies was wrong. When questioned by the Sunday Star Times he responded, "So what? If Thompson & Clark had got someone to do the things you've said, then I would say good on them." He also stated that he was "absolutely comfortable" with using Thompson and Clark because he was sure that their methods of gaining information were "legally, ethically and morally" sound.

However, members of Save Happy Valley do not agree that the spy who infiltrated their group, Ryan behaved in an ethical manner. Spokesperson for Save Happy Valley, Frances Mountier, said that it was "shocking" and "disgraceful" that Ryan should have presented himself as a friend and supporter while secretly gathering information on their activities and passing it on to Solid Energy. She also pointed out that as Ryan is not a registered private investigator, it was illegal for Thompson and Clark to employ him as a spy.

Hannah Spierer, the Environmental Affairs Officer, at the University of Auckland said, "I am doubly shocked: first, that a state owned enterprise would employ companies that break the law and, second, that any organization affiliated to the government would ever defend it's right to spy on NZ citizens. Lucy Mitchell the leader of Oxfam on campus agreed, "I would be really upset to find that a member of our group was actually being employed to spy upon us. Such behavior is a true violation of our civil liberties."

Since the start of the year these students have organized various activities to raise awareness at the University of Auckland about environmental and human rights issues. These include initiatives such as a free breakfast for those who use sustainable transport, an Eco Fashion Show and a campaign to encourage shops around the campus to sell Fair Trade products.

However, at their next meeting, the students say that they may well be distracted from their work by worrying about whether one of their members is actually a spy. "It's really sad," said Nina Hall, leader of Students for Sustainable Transport, "that this kind of unethical treatment should be the only reward for those young people who are trying to get involved in the political process and make New Zealand a better place to live in."

The students hope that the government will act swiftly to prevent state owned enterprises or corporations from using similar, unethical tactics against volunteer groups in the future.

ENDS

© Scoop Media