Ban 1080 Party Wins Broadcasting Standards Authority Decision

During the last two weeks of the 2017 election campaign, the Ban 1080 Party had several TV advertisements produced and broadcast across Maori Television, Sky TV, Prime TV, Facebook, Youtube and other internet platforms. Two complaints were submitted to the Broadcast Standards Authority after the advertisements were seen on Maori Television.

The complaints were in response to the advertisements which focused in particular on water (click the link to view) https://youtu.be/gKqq3xDxX6A , and another raises issues about the food-chain https://youtu.be/xvb1o_59_hI , and this one which introduces deer and animal welfare https://youtu.be/ePTt8IunLcg .

In Point 31 of its decision document https://bsa.govt.nz/decisions/8218-rameka-and-maori-television-service-2017-070-20-september-2017 the Authority stated “When watching the advertisement in its entirety, it would be obvious to viewers that by its very nature it was advocating for the Ban 1080 Party and its flagship policy. We therefore do not consider that the audience would have been misled in the manner envisaged by Standard E2, and we do not uphold this part of the complaint.”

In Point 35 the Authority stated “While the images of animal carcasses and 1080 pellets in the water may have disturbed some people, they were not unexpected in the context of an election programme regarding the use and effects of 1080 poison. The advertisement’s content did not reach the high threshold required for a finding that it threatened norms of good taste and decency, or constituted a breach of this standard, particularly taking into account the robust political environment leading up to the 2017 general election”. The BSA based its decision on rules around freedom of opinion during election campaigning. However, the Ban 1080 Party believes it provided robust evidence in its submission to demonstrate its advertisements are factual.

In response to Mr David (Topia) Rameka’s complaint, extensive information was compiled and submitted to the Broadcasting Standards Authority by the Ban 1080 Party to address the concerns raised. Official toxin flight charts were provided showing that the poison bait is dropped into nearly all waterways, in most aerial operations. This website link https://www.watersourcenz.org/flight-charts presents official toxin distribution charts showing exactly were poisonous baits have been spread in aerial poisoning operations. Interestingly, almost all forests surrounding Lake Taupo have been aerially poisoned on a regular basis. In many of the drops, almost all running waterways were poisoned at the same rate as the land areas around them. In the few operations where large rivers were buffered, their tributaries up-stream, were most often poisoned. In many aerial poison drops covering thousands of hectares, no running waterways are avoided.

In aerial operations like the Hunua Forest Park, the toxin distribution chart shows the baits were dropped directly into almost all waterways flowing into the dams – much of Auckland’s water supply. In the 23,000 hectare Coromandel aerial operation, all waterways were poisoned at the same rate as the land areas, and it was the same for the 12,000 hectares on Mt Pirongia, near Hamilton in 2014.

In its submission, the Ban 1080 Party also gave an example of a Waikato Regional Council resource consent document https://www.watersourcenz.org/councils permitting 1080 poison to be dropped directly into water for a 10 year period. Information was also presented showing Waikato Regional Council staff stating in a Council meeting agenda that it would be impractical to avoid waterways in aerial operations, and that’s why they aren’t avoided.

The Ban 1080 Party is not surprised there were complaints about its advertisements. The Party understands the concerns and disbelief for people when they are informed that 1080 poison baits are dropped directly into waterways in all aerial operations, and that the practice of leaving decomposing animal carcasses in and around waterways is abhorrent.

The Government-owned company that imports and manufacturers 1080 bait www.orillion.com , states on its warning label https://www.watersourcenz.org/warning-labels that poisoned animal carcasses are “eco-toxic” and should be collected and buried deeply, and away from water. Most people know that decomposing animal carcasses can cause spikes in harmful bacteria and E coli, and especially in smaller streams.

The warning label also states “Take measures to minimize the chance of baits accidently entering any body of water” and “Harmful to aquatic organisms.” Yet, the baits are deliberately spread across almost all forest streams when the aerial operations are undertaken. The warning label also states that just 2 and a half baits (12 grams each) could kill a person. Based on that figure, and taking into account the one million hectares currently “treated” every year (2kg bait/Ha), there is enough poison spread across our forests and waterways to kill over 60 million people, every year. That’s an enormous amount of persistent toxicity laying around for our wildlife and aquatic life to consume. It’s no wonder some of our native species are facing extinction.

The Ban 1080 Party hopes that people will now direct their anger, shock, disapproval and questions about this destructive and dangerous practice toward the Department of Conservation, TB Free, and regional councils, and not the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

ENDS

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