Anti-1080 protesters have lost their interim injunction against a 1080 drop on south Auckland's Hunua Ranges after a bitterly-fought Environment Court battle.
The Court announced its verdict on Friday, and Newshub understands plans are in place to drop the 1080 soon.
- Auckland Council planning 1080 drop in Hunua Ranges
- 1080 dump in Hunua Ranges puts human health at risk, lawyer argues
A non-toxic pellet drop happened earlier this month, marking the last step before 1080 is used.
Almost simultaneously, court action was filed by a conservation group which won a temporary injunction in the Environment Court to stop that happening.
The Hunua Ranges supply nearly two-thirds of the city's drinking water, and anti-1080 protesters said there was the possibility 1080 would contaminate water reservoirs.
"The whole catchment where the rain lands on the ground and runs down into streams and into the reservoir is going to be covered by 45 tonnes of 1080 poison, which is a deadly poison," lawyer Sue Grey told Newshub.
"We are playing an experiment on the people of New Zealand while we are putting this poison that's known to have possible fertility and cumulative effects into New Zealand water supplies."
But Auckland Council disagreed, arguing similar arguments against 1080's use had previously been dismissed by the High Court.
"We believe these proceedings provide no grounds to halt the council's pest management programme," it said.
"The arguments raised in the application have been refused by the High Court in previous proceedings brought by the same applicant."
Former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright said she suspected the Court's decision to grant an injunction had more to do with points of law, than concern over the environment impacts.
"After 1080 drops within the next 24 hours there have been samples taken, and it's been detected in very, very, very few of them, at levels far too low to affect human health," she told The AM Show last week."
The applicants now have until 5pm on Friday to consider their options, the judge says.
Newshub.
