Green MP on tour to save bees

Steffan Browning.

A Green Party "Save the Bees" roadshow will wing its way through Northland to promote a proposed ban of bee-killing chemicals in public parks.

Green MP Steffan Browning will speak in four Northland centres about the need to get glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup out of parks.

"There are many toxic effects and yet glyphosate is still used in streets, schools and parks where our children play," Mr Browning said.

Bee populations had been hit hard by a variety of threats including varroa mite and neonicotinoid poisons, he said.

"Neonicotinoids should be taken off our shelves and out of our environment to help bee populations recover."

The Greens are also promoting a petition calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the use of glyphosate in public places, parks and playgrounds.

The World Health Organisation has described the glyphosate as "possibly carcinogenic" to humans.

The Save the Bees tour begins in Kaitaia tomorrow at Te Ahu Centre at 7pm, then on Wednesday goes to Kerikeri, at 7pm at Kingston House, Hone Heke Rd. Mr Browning will speak in Whangarei on Thursday at noon at 116 Bank St, and in Dargaville at 7pm at the Wesley Methodist Church.