I hear radio commentary from Mr Dover Samuels, chairman of the Maori Advisory Committee to the Northland Regional Council, discounting community concerns about mercury leaking into waterways in Puhipuhi, and I wonder why he is so sure that it is not a serious issue.
How does Mr Samuels know that mercury is a "natural" element in the waters of Puhipuhi, and is not the result of a constant drip-by-drip leak out of the old mercury mine up there?
How has mercury become heavily laden in the sediment immediately around the old mercury mine - to 500 times higher than it should be - if it is not the result of years of drips coming from the old mine?
And what happens to that sediment when the heavy rainstorms arrive?
Doesn't it get disturbed and then flow on downriver to other places - such as the Kaipara Harbour? Is the mercury flowing down into that harbour the reason why sharks are no longer allowed to be caught, and eaten, from there - because they have too high a level of mercury in them?
The local farming community and hapu living in, and around, and nearby the Puhipuhi district have been concerned about the condition of the old mercury mine (and other defunct mines in the area) for years. They have raised these concerns constantly with the local authorities, but have had little response except the dismissive - "oh, it is natural". This is not good enough.
