School Bus Crash Near Hokitika

A driver and 17 children were trapped in a homeward bound school bus for 30 minutes today after it struck a power pole on Blue Spur Road, outside of Hokitika at approximately 3.30pm today. Initial reports are that one person was taken to hospital.

School bus crashes are not uncommon in New Zealand, which is one of the few developed countries not to require the fitting of seat belts on school buses.

On 18 March 5 children were taken to hospital when a school bus collided with a bitumen truck on SH1 at Fairfield near Ashburton and in February 8 students and a teacher from Gisborne High School were taken to hospital after their school minibus was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the Napier to Wairoa road.

In October of last year a bus carrying 16 children from Kaponga Primary School rolled down a bank on Mangawhero Road, east of Eltham, Taranaki. An Auckland bus carrying 35 students also rolled whilst navigating a bend on the Coateville Riverhead highway and landed on its roof in a paddock. 15 children required medical treatment.

In 2006 The Candor Trust called on the Ministry of Transport for a review of school bus safety. Representatives of the Road Safety Charity said that the last one which occurred a couple of years before “perhaps did more harm than good”. They also said it was time to drug test drivers, especially given the "Education Ministry is fine about testing pupils."

With no less than 12 major incidents in 2006 (8.5 is average in the last decade) the Trust claimed a cloud lay over the Ministry of Education's ability to care for Kiwi kids. In one 2 day period in 2006 25 students were traumatised during their everyday journey to or from school.

Very little up-to-date data seems to exist on school bus crash injuries but Statistics New Zealand do have some historical information on fatal and injury incidents/crashes involving children travelling to school by mode of travel for the period 1992 to 2001.

During that time there were 85 school bus-related incidents or crashes resulting in 12 fatalities, 20 serious injuries and 80 minor injuries.

Also see link: School bus safety

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1080 Use In Westland

Source: Scoop, 4 Sept, 2008

Westland Regional Environmental Network (WREN) has today announced its existence and intentions to the public of Westland. The Group's primary aim is: The implementation of publicly acceptable pest and TB control methods to replace 1080 use in Westland.

WREN has formed in response to the depth of community feeling against the use of 1080 in the Westland district area. The group intends to be a focal point for fair and educated discussion about 1080 and its viable alternatives and definitely does not wish to see TB infection rates on the West Coast going up, nor do they wish to see our biodiversity lost.

1080 has become an emotive issue for obvious reasons, and consequently, inaccurate and irrelevant information has been expounded from both sides of the argument” says WREN spokesperson Mark Mellsop-Melssen.

The group hopes to engage pro-1080 organisations so that the public may then have full access to all the relevant information about 1080, its use and its dangers.

In conjunction with like-minded groups, WREN, along with KEA (Kumara Environmental Action) and KAKA ( Karameans Advocating Kahurangi Action ) is planning a series of public meetings and debates over the next 12 months, along with the distribution of valid and as accurate as possible information, and nation-wide correspondence to media and relevant authorities.

Public support and donations will assist the campaign and WREN invites people concerned about 1080 to show their support by attending advertised public meetings.

WREN believes that previous considerations in regard to 1080 have failed to apply the precautionary principle to the entirely reasonable possibility of chronic poisoning from 1080 in our environment. The views of a modern and decent society appear to have been largely ignored, and significantly, 47 years on from the first 1080 drops in the Hokitika catchment, not only has the factor of inhumane deaths upon animals been perpetually ignored, but there has been a failure to demonstrably consider or implement viable alternatives. These views and others will be publicly debated and an invitation issued to 1080 advocates to present their take on the debate in a professional and cordial manner very soon.

“Our farmers are important to all of us. The Westland people are important to farmers. Can we sit down and talk it over? I think we can. There is a way forward after 47 years of 1080 poison in Westland” said Jackie Douglas WREN co- spokesperson.