Waiheke Island BSE Attack/Hoax???

[James Deuce]

Let me at him...now I'll have to give all 320 of my cows councilling...that will take up most of the day...the guy needs to be locked up. Funny thing is, her that knows all is a meat inspector and no body has said any thing to them...I just HATE people who try to screw with my livelyhood.

Obviously they have never had a large mortgage and OD and walked that tight rope we call Self Employment.

Again.....Let me at em..

Locking up is too good. Death penalty for this I think.

[Motu]

Fat lot of harm foot & mouth will do on Waiheke Is,no one has been able to farm stock over there for atleast 30 yrs,transportation costs killed that....that's one reason for all the vineyards and ''lifestyle'' blocks.When I was over there we used to ride on basicaly abandoned farms,they were just gorse and tabacco weed with some dry stock wandering around at will.

[Riff Raff]

I can't believe that someone would even contemplate such a thing - proof that we're dealing with an idiot. The repercussions even as a hoax are huge for this country and even if it only lasts a few days there will be big losses of income. I think the chances of someone obtaining this disease and releasing it are slim. The letter was sent from the Manawatu - wonder whether some drunk uni students did it as a prank? I think this person is stupid enough to be caught quickly and deserves everything they've got coming.

[Hitcher]

Seems some nutter has claimed to have released Foot & Mouth disease on Waiheke Island. Demanded a lump sum payout and change to the tax policies. Goes on to say that if the demands are not met, more will be released at another location in NZ.

Hopefully it's some delusional nutter and a hoax, because the alternative is going to be rather costly for NZ farming and trade.

Hopefully it's a hoax. Then I can go home to bed...

[Biff]

Hopefully it's a hoax. Then I can go home to bed...

How are you caught up with this H?

[Pwalo]

I agree. It's hard to believe anyone would be prepared to put so many people's livelihoods at risk, especially in a country that relies so much on agriculture.

Pity the poor bloke/women if they are found.

[Hitcher]

How are you caught up with this H?

My employer is the lead agency on the response management. Nuff said. Figure the rest out from my profile...

[Waylander]

I agree. It's hard to believe anyone would be prepared to put so many people's livelihoods at risk, especially in a country that relies so much on agriculture.

Pity the poor bloke/women if they are found.

Exactly what do you think it is that terrorists do? The whole point of thier exhistance is to put as many people as posible at risk. Hoax or not if thye find this guy they should line up all the farmers in the country and have him walk down the line being beaten wth a cane by each farmer he passes.

[Krusti]

Exactly what do you think it is that terrorists do? The whole point of thier exhistance is to put as many people as posible at risk. Hoax or not if thye find this guy they should line up all the farmers in the country and have him walk down the line being beaten wth a cane by each farmer he passes.

I am absolutely pissed with who ever it is....this is the sort of news Europe and USA have been wanting to hear...lets just cock up years of trade talks..

I for one would keep running down the line having my turn again and again and again...

Can ya tell I'm MAD?

I really need to go out one morning and shoot 450 animals...oh joy joy



By the way I'm forming a possie any one want to come? bring motorcycle and biggest gun ya can get, cattle proders allowed also

[Ramius]

Its probably the American Government doing this, or someone who wants better prices for exports. With the NZ dollar being so high against the American Dollar, in a mass effort to reduce that amount, because raising interest didn't work, they have unleashed a plague of unimaginable proportions upon this country.

The other thought, it is some disgruntled wife who wants to get rid of the object of her husbands desires. I mean think about it, no cattle/no sheep, the sex lives for most people go out the window.

[Krusti]

Its probably the American Government doing this, or someone who wants better prices for exports. With the NZ dollar being so high against the American Dollar, in a mass effort to reduce that amount, because raising interest didn't work, they have unleashed a plague of unimaginable proportions upon this country.

The other thought, it is some disgruntled wife who wants to get rid of the object of her husbands desires. I mean think about it, no cattle/no sheep, the sex lives for most people go out the window.

How dare you infer my cows are sluts....they don't just sleep with any one ya know

[Biff]

My employer is the lead agency on the response management. Nuff said. Figure the rest out from my profile...

Figured.

So when someone asks you to sit and spin - you take this to mean knuckle down and do some work I guess!

Latest news is that it is generally accepted that this is indeed a sick hoax: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3276913a10,00.html

Here's praying it is. Having lived in a rural part of the UK and witnessing first hand the horrific sights and economic devastation caused by this disease, it would be an enourmous blow to the Kiwi psyche if it ever took hold here.

[Coldkiwi]

Apparently its Massey Uni's Capping week and the letter was sent via the manawatu sorting office which takes in Wgtn (or parts of?) so there's a suspicion it could be a VERY ill advised capping stunt.
The cops are at least rattling some very large sabers about what the punishment would be for the person foolish enough to do such a hoax.

[Hitcher]

As somebody who has been intimately involved in this non-stop for 36 hours now, "sabre-rattling" is the least the Police should be doing.

We drill these things from time to time, but can never simulate the information feeding frenzy that happens at times like this, and the effects that this has on the stress levels of our frontline people. Thanks to the Police 111 report, I may get a chance to get some shut-eye tonight, unless overseas media and trading partners get interested again...

[idb]

I can't believe that someone would even contemplate such a thing - proof that we're dealing with an idiot. The repercussions even as a hoax are huge for this country and even if it only lasts a few days there will be big losses of income. I think the chances of someone obtaining this disease and releasing it are slim. The letter was sent from the Manawatu - wonder whether some drunk uni students did it as a prank? I think this person is stupid enough to be caught quickly and deserves everything they've got coming.

Could be like someone suggesting they've got a bomb while in an airport departure area, or sending white powder in the mail.
Haven't contemplated/realised the implications.