Maf reviews rehousing spray exiles

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

Dozens of West Aucklanders who have been put up in motels to escape insecticide spraying against a moth pest are having their cases "reviewed".

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Maf) is also for the first time paying for a resident to be semi-permanently rehoused outside the painted apple moth target zone.

Health-affected residents say they are angry about the review, calling it a cost-cutting exercise.

"If they try and take something off us now it will be a step backwards. It's ridiculous," said one man, who did not want to be named because he feared his house could be targeted by burglars on spray days.

He said his severe asthma had markedly improved since he was relocated on spray days.

"I think for me it will be just a formality, but we've been through hell and it took a lot of pressure to get where we are," he said.

Painted apple moth project leader Ian Gear confirmed one resident was given rent money to live semi-permanently outside the spray zone.

Up to now Maf has only paid temporary accommodation costs for health-affected residents.

Mr Gear did not expect a flood of people wanting the same treatment because of the very low numbers severely affected.

The case review was being done with the advice of "medical practitioners".

"My instruction to the medical service or the people working on our behalf is that we need to be reviewing case histories as we move forward and as we begin to reduce our operation," Mr Gear said.

Maf has been gradually reducing the 10,000ha target zone over the past two months as empty traps show moth numbers have been hit by the $90 million operation.

Maf figures show an average 144 people plus 166 family members have been relocated each spray day with another 517 people and their families attending a breakfast venue as the early-morning operation starts.

So far the bill for health-affected residents is $1.52 million for the past six months. The costs include everything from phoning families on spray days to motel accommodation.

Maf has offered assistance to 3350 people over the past six months.

It will report to Cabinet ministers next week on its campaign.