Residents asked to get facts straight on willow spraying

Penny Hulse

A Waitakere City councillor is defending the proposed aerial spraying over a large area of the Te Henga wetland and has challenged opponents to get their facts straight.

More than 100 residents have signed a petition to stop the council spraying crack willows in the wetland's Mokoroa Arm.

Some residents fear the spraying could affect their health and compromise water supplies. They also have claimed the council failed to consult the public.

But Penny Hulse, who chairs the city development committee, said there were limited ways to get rid of crack willow, a major environmental pest.

The area targeted was densely infested and inaccessible. Expert advice suggested it was not practical to poison the trees by hand.

Ms Hulse said the proposal was published in a council agenda which was available to the press and public. The council had gone to landowners first because the problem was on their property.

The council was in a "community consultation phase", sending letters and had held a public meeting.

"We have made it clear that if they don't want the spray, it won't happen."

"We now know that most do want the spray ... this does not mean the spray will go ahead; we have still to make up our minds and are still talking to the community."

Tests for spray drift were also being considered. Any spraying using Roundup would be done on a windless day.

"If one is stupid enough to spray in a high wind it might carry to Australia, but the only relevant question, is: will it in this case? We are looking at testing this exact point," said Ms Hulse.

She has also dismissed comparisons of this spray with the painted apple moth spray, which was repeatedly sprayed over parts of Auckland for several years.

"This sort of spraying is done throughout New Zealand with the full approval of medical and environmental authorities. It has even been done by the Auckland Regional Council and Rodney District Council, on the west coast, without a breath of protest."

She was willing to talk to any of the petitioners. The proposed aerial spraying would probably not occur until summer 2007-2008.