TV presenter filthy at rubbish dumpers

GROUND WORK: Kiri Danielle (front) and her team Michael Staite and Marama Meikle (middle and right) are filmed getting their hands dirty in Rotorua yesterday. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 130514BF3

Local TV personality Kiri Danielle has been rummaging through piles of dumped rubbish in Rotorua as part of a new television show.

Ms Danielle is fronting a 13-part reality series for Maori Television aimed at combating the growing issue of littering by taking the problem back to the people.

Her team will sift through dumped rubbish to find out who it belongs to and once enough evidence is collected, take it back to the culprits where Ms Danielle hopes discussion about the dumpers' actions will follow.

The show, called Kaitiakitanga (guardianship), is in its first week of filming and started in Ms Danielle's home town, Rotorua.

Yesterday, Ms Danielle and her crew were on Edmund Rd where they found hoards of rubbish bags strewn across a small reserve.

The series will visit popular dumping sites across the country and Ms Danielle said this was the "warning shot".

"We want people to know they will not get away with it. If you know you are one of these people, we suggest you go get it before we find it."

Ms Danielle said she grew up with an appreciation for Mother Earth and it was painful to see the way people treated her.

"Rubbish dumping is a global issue and in New Zealand we are small enough to deal with it but big enough to make an example of those who do it.

"It makes me angry looking at this rubbish but first of all I feel sad because Papatuanuku (earth mother) can't take care of herself, she can only grow around the rubbish and try to adapt. We need to nurture her, not disrespect her."

Ms Danielle said she expected angry reaction to the show, primarily from those responsible for dumping rubbish.

"There will be aggression, I'm expecting it, but I think it will be aggression out of shame because there is no excuse for what they are doing.

"We want to nurture the people who are doing this and help them to make better decisions."

The series is expected to be broadcast mid-2014 or early 2015.