Dean Maisey's letter in last week's column showed his ignorance on the topic of 1080 and his use of the words 'wild food sources” shows exactly why. Many hunters and possum fur traders are avid campaigners against 1080 use.
Their ‘love for the NZ bush' is a thinly veiled smokescreen for the thrill of the chase. I know this as I come from a hunting family and have a freezer full of venison to prove it.
Possum fur is an extra source of income for my family.
But I would give it all up in a heartbeat for the call of a kokako at dawn, or the thrill of a great spotted kiwi challenging me as I cross his territory.
Yes 1080 is not used in many other countries, this is due to the presence of native mammals that could be affected. NZ is unique and does not have mammals other than bats, so therefore 1080 is able to be used.
It does not contaminate our waterways and studies in NZ and USA have shown that fish, eels and crayfish fed 1080 had 100% survival rates, unlike the toxic effects of snail bait laid in gardens throughout NZ, the sprayed roses, or the runoff from washing the car in the driveway (are you getting my drift?). Tongariro has been repeatedly 1080ed for years and has thriving populations of endangered kiwi and whio, unlike other areas that have not had 1080 applied and have lost their populations completely.
All departments involved openly agree that more data is needed on 1080 - this is true for nearly everything including the effects of long term use of shampoo in people's hair!
Yes, mistakes were made in the past but those mistakes have been remedied. Yes, some native birds have been killed but some children have died from vaccinations, and some people die on the operating table while having a routine tonsillectomy.
If nectar loving birds are eating dry cereal baits, why? Possibly they are starving? Possibly possums in the area (hence the bait) have browsed all the food?
This is not a political debate, this is an ethical one. Do we have the right to stand back and watch multiple species become extinct? Until something better comes along, 1080 is our saviour. (abridged)

Julia Graham, Tauranga.