Fantastic news follows last Saturday’s “5G Global Day of Protest” in over 250 cities around the world. Communities throughout New Zealand and in at least 25 other countries united in a mass show of “people power”, using education, protests and other activities to highlight the demand for more consultation, community involvement and precaution in adoption…
Category: Legal
Legal comment and decisions.

REQUEST FOR LEGAL REVIEW OF REGULATIONS WHICH EXEMPT CELLTOWERS AND OTHER RFEMR EMISSIONS FROM RMA
The Outdoors Party www.outdoorsparty.co.nz has formally requested a review of regulations (full document here) that allow new celltowers to be installed around New Zealand without any consultation with affected communities. The request was made to coincide with the Global Day of 5G Protest on 25 January 2020: “Say No to 5G”. Co-leader of the Outdoors…

1080 Poison- is it “deadly” or “safe”… surely something so important shouldn’t depend on who you ask?
1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) is approved and labelled as a “deadly poison”. In 2007 its re-approval by ERMA was limited to targeting possums. Rats, mast years and mega masts were not identified as a problem until recently. ERMA approved 1080 use but only where there was social licence, after consultation with affected communities, and only in…

Stop Poisoning our Wildlife
The long awaited Shark Cage Diving decision was released by the NZ Supreme Court last week. This was great news for Bluff and it’s shark cage divers Shark Experience Ltd as they are back in business when the Great Whites arrive in December as part of their annual migration. The court clarified the meaning of…
Shark Cage Diving. Supreme Court Decision.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW ZEALAND
I TE KŌTI MANA NUI
SC 86/2018
[2019] NZSC 111
BETWEEN
SHARK EXPERIENCE LIMITED
Appellant
AND
PAUAMAC5 INCORPORATED
First Respondent ATTORNEY-GENERAL Second Respondent SHARK DIVE NEW ZEALAND LIMITED Third Respondent
Hearing:
26 March 2019
Court:
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O’Regan and Ellen France JJ
Counsel:
S J Grey and S P H Elliott for Appellant B A Scott and S R Roberts for First Respondent J M Prebble and D J Watson for Second Respondent
Judgment:
11 October 2019

What do guns, poisons, medicinal cannabis and 5G all have in common
I’ve only recently become interested in the gun law reforms. I used to think that guns were dangerous and the less the better. However after witnessing the positive energy at the Sika show, acting for diverse interests promoting public good law reform and undertaking some research on gun related issues, I’ve realised that the government’s…

5G- Ask us First!
We are constantly faced with change and new technology. Some is good for humanity. Some is driven by multinational interests and is more about them than us. Often we don’t understand the risks until it is too late. Think X-rays which were embraced as the greatest medical progress for checking foetal development for years, even…

Public health officer admits one 1080 bait is close to a fatal dose for a 3 year old child
I’ve just read an extraordinary “Health Risk Assessment” by a redacted Taranaki Public Health Officer for DoC’s aerial application of 1080 to public roads and huts on Mount Taranaki and Kaitake Range. Its extraordinary firstly because the Health Officer is brutally honest about the toxicity and uncertainties of 1080 poison, admitting: Acute toxicity– 1080 has…

URGENT REQUEST TO MINISTER OF POLICE FOR FAIRNESS AND COMPASSION WITH MEDICINAL USE OF DRUGS
Parliament passed another step in drug law reform this week, explicitly requiring the police to exercise discretion before prosecuting for possession and use of drugs. This implements the “public interest” test in the Solicitor-General’s guidelines into the law. I’ve written an urgent request to the Minister of Police (copy below) asking for more information on…