My Account
A Little Manly resident who lives in a special, agreed no-spray zone and has had her property on Auckland Council’s No Spray Register for 20 years, is suffering severe health problems as a result of an error, which saw the area sprayed with glyphosate/Roundup two months ago.
Because Nolene Berger suffers from extreme chemical sensitivity, which includes a severe allergic reaction to sprays such as Roundup, a special no-spray zone that includes all of East Avenue, where she lives, and several surrounding streets and reserves, was agreed with the former Rodney District Council and has been in effect since early 2008.
When the councils amalgamated, it was agreed in writing that this arrangement would continue. Since amalgamation, the No Spray register has been managed by Auckland Transport, but the information on it is shared with Council’s parks department which contracts out park maintenance.
However, last January there were clear indications that two small public reserves at either end of East Avenue, and the nearby roadside, had been sprayed with glyphosate/Roundup. When Cr John Watson saw that the grass on the edges had turned brown, and at the same time Ms Berger suddenly became extremely ill, he questioned Council’s parks department. He says staff confirmed that the area had been sprayed on January 6.
Council began spraying Roundup in Hibiscus Coast parks and reserves recently after deciding during its Long Term Plan process to replace mechanical methods of edging control, such as weedeaters, with chemical sprays in order to cut costs.
Ms Berger is currently too unwell for an interview, but confirms that her symptoms since January have included anaphylactic shock, a severe cough, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and nausea. Worst of all, she says, is the ‘mental fog’ that causes confusion and makes her unable to function, remember clearly or carry on coherent conversations. She is confined to her home, and largely bed-bound.
Last week she had still not received a response from Council to the official complaint that she sent a month ago, dated February 15. The complaint, which includes photographic evidence that the reserve edges and road frontages were sprayed, was made public by Cr Watson; together with Hana Blackmore of the Weed Management Advisory, he is assisting Nolene in her fight to have toxic sprays banned from public places on the Hibiscus Coast.
The complaint includes the comment that Nolene has a permanent No Spray sign outside her house. “Whoever was responsible for spraying the road frontage and reserve at the top of East Avenue would’ve had to drive past this sign. Why was it ignored?” the document says.
In her complaint, Ms Berger describes the chemical spraying as “irresponsible and negligent in the extreme”.
Cr Watson and Mrs Blackmore say that receipt of the complaint has been acknowledged, but that Council has so far made no further contact. They describe this as “disturbing, given that it’s a very important matter”.
“This person has become extremely ill, yet there still has been no meaningful response from Council. Nolene is worried that the contractors will be back – it’s an absolute disgrace,” Cr Watson says. “It should be dealt with as a matter of urgency.”
“Reassurance and an apology are needed, as well as an explanation of how this happened,” Mrs Blackmore says.
In response to questions from Hibiscus Matters, Council’s Environmental Services general manager, Gael Ogilvie, advised that a response has been sent to Ms Berger and that an investigation into the allegations is being carried out.
