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January 26, 2010

New methyl bromide research a major positive step

The Mar­itime Union of New Zealand says that new research on methyl bro­mide gas at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Can­ter­bury is vital to ensur­ing work­ers and local res­i­dents are not at risk from the use of the tox­ic fumi­gant.

Mar­itime Union Gen­er­al Sec­re­tary Joe Fleet­wood says the ear­ly reports of a pos­si­ble link between methyl bro­mide and nerve dam­age, while not sur­pris­ing, should make it clear that use of methyl bro­mide must be imme­di­ate­ly stopped while fur­ther research is car­ried out.

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26 January 2010 No Comments

Overseas trade endangered unless New Zealand has a maritime strategy

The Mar­itime Union of New Zealand says that New Zealand’s over­seas trade could be in jeop­ardy unless the Gov­ern­ment has a plan for ports and the mar­itime sec­tor.

Mar­itime Union Gen­er­al Sec­re­tary Joe Fleet­wood, respond­ing to com­ments from the Min­is­ter of Trans­port Hon. Stephen Joyce, says it is not good enough for the Gov­ern­ment to leave it to chance when 99% of New Zealand’s imports and exports are shipped.

He says that there is wide­spread con­cern in the indus­try that in future car­go could be hubbed through a large Aus­tralian port, with com­plex and neg­a­tive effects for New Zealand.

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26 January 2010 No Comments