Law, Politics and Ethics of 1080 and other Poisons – Let’s Reframe the Conversation

Think Workshop

Presenter: Sue Grey LLB(Hons), BSc, RSHDipPHI

Suitable for: Adults only

The NZ government’s “Predator Free Strategy” is being used to justify the indiscriminate aerially discharged 1080 poison baits over large portions of our country. We will explore alternatives not just for the use of poisons, but also the philosophy of battling nature. We will talk about the way “science” is manipulated to exclude people’s voice and how this can be overcome.

The NZ government has started a “Battle for our Birds” to try to implement former Prime Minister’s John Key’s 2050 Predator Free Strategy. It’s a battle they don’t expect to win. Meanwhile it is used to justify the indiscriminate aerially discharge 1080 poison baits over forest, land, riverbeds and waterways in the hope this kills the predators but not our native birds or the foods they eat.

Most NZers agree that our unique birds are precious. However many are not happy about the indiscriminate use of poisons and the considerable and cruel bykill of native birds, deer, pets and stock, the contamination of our food chain – both wild foods and potentially also farmed animals and honey.

The starting point is that if we ask better questions we will get better answers.

Presenter Bio:

Sue is a lawyer based in Nelson who specialises in complex emerging issues, including medicinal cannabis law reform, encouraging more precautionary and responsible use of 1080 and other poisons and educating on and managing harm RF EMR from cellphones, wifi and radio and celltowers.

Sue has tertiary qualifications in law, science (microbiology and biochemistry) and in environmental health. She has worked for and with central and local government (including two years as a senior lawyer for DoC) and has run her own law practice for over 15 years.

She has acted in many leading environmental and public rights cases for individuals, community interests, and niche businesses. Sue’s work for Saxmere (a super fine woolgrower) resulted in the publication of until then secret NZ Guidelines for Judicial Conduct and the forced resignation of former Supreme Court Justice Bill Wilson. Sue has assisted Rose Renton with her cannabis law reform petition and successfully defended Rose, Redwood Reider and many terminally and chronically ill patients against criminal charges. Along the way she exposed the law that allows medically prescribed cannabis to be imported into New Zealand

Sue acted for the “not-botulism” family who were hospitalised for many weeks after eating wild pork suspected to be contaminated by 1080 poison, and secured ACC cover for them; the Brook Valley Community group who challenged Nick Smith’s 1080 and Brodifacoum Resource Management
Exemption Regulations; the Friends of Sherwood and Ngati Paoa Trust Board who delayed but could not stop the 1080 poisoning of Auckland’s Hunua water catchment, and the Waitomo farmers who lost 8 cows to 1080 poison in a DoC aerial drop gone wrong, forcing an EPA inquiry.

Sue has appeared as an expert on many documentaries including “Mum, Cannabis and Me”, “Is your Cellphone Killing You”, a series of Wild TV documentaries. She is frequently interviewed on national media.

Sue’s passion is educating and empowering communities to unravel government processes and identify opportunities to disrupt the status quo to help nurture a better and more compassionate world.

Law, Politics and Ethics of 1080 and other Poisons – Let’s Reframe the Conversation