Opinion by Tony Orman
NZ First is making a last-ditch attempt to scramble into parliament and are using the 1080 poison issue to fuel its efforts. Political pundits are predicting NZ First will be history after election day.
NZ First leader Winston Peters has revived his promise at the last election to get rid of 1080. I heard him say to a Marlborough public meeting in the pre-election run-up of 2017 that “ 1080 would be gone by lunchtime.”
But it wasn’t gone after NZ First became a government coalition partner and during the next three years to now.
The stumbling block was Forest and Bird zealot Eugene Sage and Green MP who became Minister of Conservation.
But here’s the crux of Winston’s replay of his 2017 pledge about 1080 in 2020. In the three years as part of the government, he nor any of his MPs, to my knowledge, have said nothing about 1080 despite massive drops of the toxin over public lands.
The ecosystem 1080, used by the Department of Conservation to “control predators in forests to preserve birdlife” has been opposed by other parties. ACT with COLFO’s very competent Nicole McKee at number 3 on the party list is opposed to 1080.
New Conservative
So too is the New Conservative Party which has come back significantly in polls after the internal debacle it had with former leader Colin Craig and his antics. The new Conservative Party may or may not make 5% but it seems on the way back into the political landscape.
The Advance New Zealand Party is a strong opponent of 1080 too.
Meanwhile, Winston Peters will visit Waiheke Island tomorrow to point to a local predator control project which does not use 1080.
“I just want to be clear that New Zealand First has never been a believer in 1080,” he said.
Oh Winston why did you not tell the public that in 2018 and 2019?
He speaks now of “alternatives and trapping and hunting and all sorts of other range of initiatives”.
Too Little, Too Late
He now says 1080 is dangerous, and he explains in the coalition that it is very difficult to achieve getting rid of 1080 “when it’s in control of some other minister” i.e. Eugenie Sage.
It’s a case of “too little” for three years and “too late” now for NZ First.
The irritating thing is that during those three years, I e-mailed Winston Peters and his senior MP Ron Mark, who I once personally knew very well. The emails were never answered. Other outdoor friends who emailed NZ First experienced the same silence. Not even an acknowledgment.
Silence is not always golden.
Bye Bye NZ First. Good riddance. Parliament might stand a chance without you holding the country to ransom. As DPM you had every chance to get rid of 1080 by lunchtime but like every other big issue that confronts your party did a U Turn on the people who put you there.
I HAD A CHAT TO RON MARK A WEEK BEFORE THE LAST ELECTION AND I ASKED HIM HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH NATIONAL.? HE SAID “VERY MUCH SO!”
AND HAVING FAILED MISERABLY SINCE THEN WE DON’T WANT TO SEE NZF BACK; BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING SINCE THE LAST ELECTION.
NEIL HAYES QSM & AND A CHARTERED ENVIRONMENTALIST.
CARTERTON
The entire political makeup of New Zealand today, the astronomical debt future generations will be paying off for decades, the loony left-wing ideology and burgeoning bureaucracy is not solely to be blamed on the Labour Party – such behaviour is to be expected of them.
It was one person, and one person alone who doomed GodZone – Winston (it’ll be gone by midday) Peters.
Remember, National polled the highest, and Labour was a minority party, put into government by Winnie.
Now himself “Gone by Midday” thank God
I voted for Winston for his stand to rid the Paeliament of racist maori seats and 1080, neither happened.
GOOD BYE WINSTON
Here’s what our ex-friend Winston stated publicly prior to the last election
regarding NZ First’s policy & policy to get rid of aerial 1080 poison drops & finding alternatives to using 1080 poison for pest control.
QUOTE:
” * IMMEDIATELY ALLOCATE ADEQUATE RESOURCING FOR,
AND INITIATE,TRAPPING AND OTHER GROUND BASED MEASURES FOR
PEST CONTROL, IN ALL AREAS WHERE THIS IS KNOWN TO BE FEASIBLE.
* IMMEDIATELY ALLOCATE ADEQUATE RESOURCING, AND INITIATE
PROPER AND URGENT RESEARCH INTO ALTERNATIVES TO 1080.
* BEFORE ANY FURTHER AERIAL APPLICATION OF 1080 IS PERMITTED, RESOURCE AND INITIATE COMPREHENSIVE AND ACCURATE SURVEYS TO ASCERTAIN BOTH NATIVE AND PEST POPULATIONS IN AREAS REGARDED AS ” INACCESSIBLE”, IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY, OR EXCLUDE,ANY
POSSIBLE RECOMMENCEMENT OF AERIAL APPLICATION OF 1080,OR ITS ALTERNATIVES,IN THESE AREAS.
* ENSURE THAT ALL PEST CONTROL ACTIVITIES ARE OPTIMISED AROUND TURNING ADVERSITY INTO OPPORTUNITY, BY MAXIMISING THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF PEST ANIMALS THROUGH THE HARVESTING OF FUR AND MEAT,AND THE PROVISION OF BOTH REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND EXPORT EARNINGS.
END OF QUOTE.
Sounded good at the time & probably sucked most us in, who have seen the devastation of aerial 1080 poison through our native forests. BUT: Not a squeak from Winston or any in his team. The only NZ First member to raise his head was Richard Prosser & he got demoted to #15 on the list & waved bye bye on his way to the UK.
You will NOT suck us in again Winston!!!! Our turn to wave you & your treacherous
mob bye bye on Oct 17th!!!! ( It’s called Karma & it eventually comes around to bite you on the bum!!)
NZF has been bitten on the bum; the bum totally chewed off!
Did Tarrant think “At my age is imprisonment to the end of my life but with free food, medical treatment, dental treatment, television, exercise and probably some other perks if I keep my nose clean” is the best life option? I somehow doubt it.