Paritutu Overview

In the late 1990's long running community concerns over ongoing health impacts from 1960's and early 1970's chemical exposures ignited after community re-analysis of 1985 Paritutu dioxin soil testing proposed that the 1985 dioxin residues in soils evidenced historic 1960's airborne exposures in Paritutu similar to those in 1960's Vietnam. The opinion of the Health Dept.

Site Purpose

Archived research documentation, narratives on those documents and knowledge gained from interaction with 1960-72 residents, officials, media and Ministers from 1998 to 2010 are used to explore how public officials, elected representatives and contracted consultants used taxpayers funds and cleverly scripted media releases to divert from and dismiss clearly apparent population impacts from historic chemical exposures among the Paritutu community of around several thousand residents who were significantly exposed to 2,3,7,8-TCDD (dioxin) and also other chemicals released from 1960 to 1972.

Serum Data "Spin"

PARITUTU SERUM DIOXIN STUDY TIMELINE 2004-2011 DRAFT .


In 2004 when elevated serum TCDD was detected the MoH set up a unit to manage potential financial risks.

As elevated results were politically politically significant the MoH took over all reporting and retargeted the study.

The peer reviewed study design and ethical consent specified the study would target 1962 to 1975 residents.

N.Z Exports Impounded 1961

1961 USA RESIDUE TESTING OF N.Z. IMPORTS FORCED NEW ZEALAND TO BE GREENER AND CLEANER.

High 1950s and 1960's dietary intake of dairy and meat fats from livestock dipped in organochlorines or grazed on treated pasture [or sometimes both] combined with high New Zealand per capita use rates of both DDT and 2,4,5-T amongst if not the highest in the world created significant opportunity for 1950s, 60s and early 70s food-chain (dietary) exposures to a mixture of lipid (fat) bound bioaccumulative organochlorines insecticide and herbicide contaminant residues.


A Health Board "Like No Other".

In 1998 Dow Agro Science G.M Jim Mole wrote to Paritutu resident Roy Drake stating that in 1996 he

had raised Roy Drake's allegations of ill health from IWD emissions with the Taranaki District

Health Board the 'independent watchdogs of public health issues'. DAS GM Jim Mole wrote the TDHB

had replied to DAS (12.12.1996), stating they would look into the matter in the near future, however as

Jim Mole had not had further reply, from the TDHB, he had assumed that, "the authorities can find no