1080 documentary maker should put up or shut up, says Sutton

11.40 am

A British documentary maker should "put up or shut up" about claims of government and public service corruption, says Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton

Terry Brownbill's documentary, made last year, says New Zealand's use of 1080 poison is "a sinister tale of corruption and bureaucratic indifference".

The poison is used to kill possums and other pests that carry disease and damage bush.

Brownbill said it was possible 1080 residue could enter the food supply and on National Radio today he repeated claims of corruption in the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Animal Health Board.

However, he admitted he had no proof of corruption.

"I haven't alleged corruption, I have indicated corruption ... this is people in New Zealand (whom he had interviewed) saying this -- that DOC and the Animal Health Board are empires built on poison -- $78 million comes from the Government to prop up DOC and the Animal Health Board and they ain't going to let go of it easily. They have got a vested interest in dropping more and more poison."

Brownbill said 1080 could enter the food chain. He gave the example of a cattle beast that died on its way to slaughter from the poison. He said had it made it to the abattoir, tainted meat could have been sold.

However Mr Sutton dismissed Mr Brownbill's claims.

"All this is absolute rubbish. I gave Terry Brownbill an hour of my time in Timaru for interviewing when he was producing this. He didn't offer me suggestions or evidence of corruption or anything like that."

Mr Sutton said he thought Brownbill was making the claims to get publicity for his programme.

"He's making wild suggestions of widespread corruption in government and in the public service, he's saying our food is not safe, he's alleging dozens of 1080 dumps around New Zealand -- (but) not one shred of evidence is offered."

Mr Sutton said international monitoring organisations had found New Zealand was one of the least corrupt governments in the world.

"We do not have a corrupt government, we do not have a corrupt public service ... No case has ever been found of 1080 getting into the New Zealand human food chain. (It has) never been found in any of our export foods and yet he's making allegations that our food exports are not safe.

"This is just gutter journalism and I've got no time for it. And I say Terry Brownbill put up or shut up. ... As far as I can see this is just a beat-up with nothing more than allegations."

Brownbill said there had been a case of 1080-tainted venison in an export to Germany a decade ago. He also raised concerns about 1080 spreaders not wearing protective clothing.

In an earlier interview Brownbill said his documentary, commissioned by Britain's Sky TV, showed New Zealand was more concerned about its clean green image than protecting its people.

DOC's northern region technical support manager, Simon Kelton, had said it was impossible for the department to refute the allegations unless it was given evidence.

MAF Food Assurance Authority group director Andrew McKenzie had also responded. He said the country's surveillance programme had never detected 1080 residues in livestock.

"The risk of 1080 residues entering the food supply is very low."

- NZPA

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