Congratulations, WEPS

Murray Horton
CAFCA

CAFCA congratulates the Whangapoua Environmental Protection Society (WEPS) for its stunning victory in the Environment Courtthis month. It took an action which led to the Court blowing out of the water the $30 million sawmill proposal of Blue Mountain Lumber, a subsidiary of Malaysian forestry transnational corporation, Ernslaw One (which is itself part of the Rimbunan Hijau conglomerate).

Ernslaw One is no stranger to us, and indeed it came third in the 2004 Roger Award for the Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in Aotearoa/New Zealand. To read the Judges' Report detailing the reasons why, go to www.cafca.org.nz and follow the Roger Award Links.

But WEPS is not yet out of the woods (pun intentional). Even though they won in the Environment Court, they are facing costs into six figures because they initiated the action. Their lawyer is applying for costs, but in the meantime they face the usual financial dilemma of a community groups versus the deep pockets of Big Business. Blue Mountain Lumber has publicly stated that, so far, it has spent "the thick end of $1 million" (Waikato Times, 21/7/05; "Court axes Coromandel mill plan", Simon O'Rourke). Plus WEPS has still to fight another court battle, this time in partnership with the Department of Conservation, in an attempt to stop Ernslaw One harvesting its thousands of hectares of pine trees on the Coromandel.

They need all the help they can get: You can send donations to:
Mrs M. Olliver, Secretary, WEPS Inc., RD2, Coromandel. Or you donate it directly to: WEPS Inc, Kiwibank Now Account, Number 38 9001 399122 00.
You can contact WEPS at: jbibby@paradise.net.nz; ph (07) 8665075; fax (07) 8665076; Website: www.weps.org.nz

Murray Horton
Secretary/Organizer
CAFCA
Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa
Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand
cafca@chch.planet.org.nz
www.cafca.org.nz