2014: A 1080 Conspiracy Exposed

January 26, 2025

By AHNZ

Without government who would poison the forest?

West Coast Regional Council was busted by the newspapers in 2014 for developing their own secret 1080 poison factory. This was during a time when opposition to the government animal-killing toxin was especially strong. WCRC had to bring in private security from Wellington because the public were so angry with their supposed representatives. And that was before the 1080 factory conspiracy became public.

So, West Coast Regional Council Chairman Andrew Robb (left) and his CEO Chris Ingle (right) kept their use of taxpayers’ multi-millions of dollars top secret. “Commercially sensitive,” they said. Informing the public about what the politicians and bureaucrats were doing with public money was not an option.

However, thanks to the journalism of the Greymouth Star newspaper the truth was found out anyway in late 2014.

“When you want to do the best for your community, it’s the only way,” – CEO, Chris Ingle ref. oag.parliament.govt

“The council invested $1.9 million in the venture in 2013, paying $1.3 million for the property and building, and $490,000 for a 49 percent share in the business. The council kept the investment quiet for about a year, and when it was uncovered by the Greymouth Star it sparked a petition and angry protests by anti-1080 demonstrators.” – RNZ (2020)

The council bought the bare section over a decade ago before starting development in 2014…A new valuation report for the council shows it advanced $374,783 for specialised improvements requested by PCR at the start of the current five-year lease in 2019. The lease ends in January 2025…The new valuation report details an office and warehouse building with an outdoor loading and parking area, costing $2.13 million.” – ODT (2022)

“Company Office records show the Rolleston partnership with Pest Control Research NZ Ltd was formed in May 2013. It has only two shareholders — Christchurch man Malcolm Thomas with 51 per cent, and the West Coast Regional Council with 49 per cent. One director is Randal Beal, who formerly managed the council’s resource consent stand-alone company, VCS.” – NZH (2014)

“The West Coast Regional Council has sold its building¹ in Rolleston, which housed a 1080 poison factory, netting $1.5 million from the sale.” – Greymouth Star (22/1/2025)

Depending on what they had in mind in the early 2000s when first the off-site land was purchased, the 1080 conspiracy was about 10 years in the making. And after about 20 years the local government may still be in the business depending on if they have disposed of the land or not. Who knows?

Timeline

2000s WCRC purchased bare land in Canterbury
2013  WCRC partnered with poison company (PCR)
2014  WCRC busted by Greymouth Star
2019  WCRC spends $2.13 million on building infrastructure
2019  Poison company signs 5 year lease
2020  WCRC gets out of the partnership
2022  WCRC spends $370k on “specialised improvements”
2025  Lease expires, WCRC sells property for $1.5 million

Government! They really are the worst.

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1 And the land?

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