A Howick company director will stand trial over forged Greenpeace leaflets which tried to blacken the name of a rival company.
Justices of the Peace Phil Greenbank and Philippa Hull ruled that a prima facie case was established against Doug Grant Halligan, aged 49, at the end of a depositions hearing
at the Manukau District Court yesterday.
Halligan pleaded not guilty to one charge of forgery and one charge of distributing a forged document.
Police allege the company director and sales manager of East Tamaki chemical company Agpro Ltd forged the Greenpeace flyers and organised their distribution to neighbours of rival chemical company Chemcolour Industries Ltd.
The flyers, under a fake Greenpeace letterhead, warned residents they were being poisoned by toxic chemicals manufactured illegally at Chemcolour's Glenfield site.
Philippa Caldwell, an employee of Fletcher Challenge Forests, said four chemical companies competed for a $1.4 million contract to supply her company with herbicides in late 1999.
In June 2000 Halligan's company Agpro was told the contract had been awarded to rival company Orion Crop Protection Ltd. Chemcolour was a major supplier to Orion.
Ms Caldwell said Fletcher Challenge received a letter and phone call from Halligan during and after the tender process saying Chemcolour was operating without resource consents under the Resource Management Act.
Auckland Regional Council air quality officer Richard Chilton told defence counsel Paul Davison, QC, he was aware Chemcolour was operating without resource consent.
A consent hearing was about to start and it was likely ARC staff would recommend the company be given the necessary consents, Mr Chilton said.
Police prosecutor Eardley Dijkstra told the court electronic copies of the forged documents and blank pieces of paper with fake Greenpeace letterheads were found at Halligan's home.
Mr Davison said there was no evidence that Halligan had circulated the fake flyers.
Halligan was remanded on bail to reappear on November 1.
