Latest news with #HamiltonDistrictCourt
1News
3 days ago
- 1News
Waikato share milker fined $40,000 for polluting waterway
A Waikato share milker has been slapped with a $40,000 fine and 140 hours of community work after the council accused him of having dairy effluent repeatedly flow from a family farm into a waterway near Te Awamutu. Daniel Warren Lund appeared in the Hamilton District Court facing five charges under the Resource Management Act, according to the Waikato Regional Council. A spokesperson said compliance officers found effluent storage ponds overflowing into the tributary of the Puniu River on two separate occasions during inspections in 2022. "On another occasion, they found effluent ponding and runoff from an irrigator. An abatement notice that had been served on Mr Lund was also being breached." The council reported that in her decision, Judge Melinda Dickey described the defendant as "highly careless" with "insufficient attention paid to the infrastructure and management of effluent disposal". ADVERTISEMENT She further stated that the operation of the system left much to be desired. Regional compliance manager Patrick Lynch said the "farm effluent ponds were inadequate and posed a real risk to the environment." "Mr Lund displayed a lack of understanding of managing effluent effectively and safely on the property," he said in a media release. "Moving into the wetter and busier time of the year for farmers, this prosecution is a timely reminder to all farmers that there needs to be adequate effluent infrastructure and good effluent management systems on every farm."
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Waikato Farmer Convicted For Pollution
Press Release – Waikato Regional Council Daniel Warren Lund appeared last week before Judge Melinda Dickey in the Hamilton District Court facing five charges under the Resource Management Act as a result of a prosecution taken by Waikato Regional Council. A Waikato share milker has been convicted, fined $40,000 and sentenced to 140 hours community work for unlawful discharges of dairy effluent into a tributary of the Puniu River, near Te Awamutu. Daniel Warren Lund appeared last week before Judge Melinda Dickey in the Hamilton District Court facing five charges under the Resource Management Act as a result of a prosecution taken by Waikato Regional Council. Mr Lund manages a family farm at Pokuru near Te Awamutu. In July and August 2022, council compliance officers conducted three inspections of the farm effluent system. During two inspections they found effluent storage ponds overflowing into a tributary of the Puniu River. On another occasion they found effluent ponding and runoff from an irrigator. An abatement notice that had been served on Mr Lund was also being breached. In summing up her decision, Judge Dickey stated: 'I find the defendant to be highly careless. There appears to have been insufficient attention paid to the infrastructure and management of effluent disposal.' She further stated that the operation of the system left much to be desired. Waikato Regional Compliance Manager Patrick Lynch said the farm effluent ponds were inadequate and posed a real risk to the environment. 'Mr Lund displayed a lack of understanding of managing effluent effectively and safely on the property,' Mr Lynch said. 'Moving into the wetter and busier time of the year for farmers, this prosecution is a timely reminder to all farmers that there needs to be adequate effluent infrastructure and good effluent management systems on every farm.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Waikato Farmer Convicted For Pollution
A Waikato share milker has been convicted, fined $40,000 and sentenced to 140 hours community work for unlawful discharges of dairy effluent into a tributary of the Puniu River, near Te Awamutu. Daniel Warren Lund appeared last week before Judge Melinda Dickey in the Hamilton District Court facing five charges under the Resource Management Act as a result of a prosecution taken by Waikato Regional Council. Mr Lund manages a family farm at Pokuru near Te Awamutu. In July and August 2022, council compliance officers conducted three inspections of the farm effluent system. During two inspections they found effluent storage ponds overflowing into a tributary of the Puniu River. On another occasion they found effluent ponding and runoff from an irrigator. An abatement notice that had been served on Mr Lund was also being breached. In summing up her decision, Judge Dickey stated: 'I find the defendant to be highly careless. There appears to have been insufficient attention paid to the infrastructure and management of effluent disposal.' She further stated that the operation of the system left much to be desired. Waikato Regional Compliance Manager Patrick Lynch said the farm effluent ponds were inadequate and posed a real risk to the environment. 'Mr Lund displayed a lack of understanding of managing effluent effectively and safely on the property,' Mr Lynch said. 'Moving into the wetter and busier time of the year for farmers, this prosecution is a timely reminder to all farmers that there needs to be adequate effluent infrastructure and good effluent management systems on every farm.'
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Scoop
Pollution Of Drain Network Results In Fine And Community Work
Press Release – Waikato Regional Council Hamilton District Court Judge Melinda Dickey released her judgement on 13 May 2025, convicting Vernon Paul Madeley on a charge filed under the Resource Management Act by Waikato Regional Council. A Waikato farm manager has been convicted, fined $5000 and sentenced to 140 hours' community work for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into a drain network in May 2024. Hamilton District Court Judge Melinda Dickey released her judgement on 13 May 2025, convicting Vernon Paul Madeley on a charge filed under the Resource Management Act by Waikato Regional Council. In May 2024, council officers responded to a complaint about dairy effluent in the rural drainage system near Turua, on the Hauraki Plains. Officers inspected a farm where they found an effluent irrigator had stalled causing effluent to flow into a nearby drain. This drain was part of a network designed to discharge into the Waihou River, north of the Turua township. Inquiries established that the travelling irrigator had come to the end of its run and had been left to irrigate in the same location for up to a week. The defendant stated he was aware the irrigator had come to the end of its run but had simply not got around to shifting it in that week. In sentencing, Judge Dickey said: 'I find the defendant was highly careless because he knew there was an issue and did nothing to address it. The fix was simple – the irrigator needed to be moved in a timely manner and was not.' Patrick Lynch, Waikato Regional Council's Regional Compliance Manager, said: 'This is a well set up dairy farm where money has been invested in upgrading effluent infrastructure over recent years. This case highlights the fact that good infrastructure must also be well managed throughout the season to avoid causing environmental harm.' 'We encourage all farmers to have documented Effluent Management Plans for their farm effluent systems and to ensure all employees and contractors working on their farms are aware of their responsibilities.'
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Scoop
Pollution Of Drain Network Results In Fine And Community Work
A Waikato farm manager has been convicted, fined $5000 and sentenced to 140 hours' community work for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into a drain network in May 2024. Hamilton District Court Judge Melinda Dickey released her judgement on 13 May 2025, convicting Vernon Paul Madeley on a charge filed under the Resource Management Act by Waikato Regional Council. In May 2024, council officers responded to a complaint about dairy effluent in the rural drainage system near Turua, on the Hauraki Plains. Officers inspected a farm where they found an effluent irrigator had stalled causing effluent to flow into a nearby drain. This drain was part of a network designed to discharge into the Waihou River, north of the Turua township. Inquiries established that the travelling irrigator had come to the end of its run and had been left to irrigate in the same location for up to a week. The defendant stated he was aware the irrigator had come to the end of its run but had simply not got around to shifting it in that week. In sentencing, Judge Dickey said: 'I find the defendant was highly careless because he knew there was an issue and did nothing to address it. The fix was simple – the irrigator needed to be moved in a timely manner and was not.' Patrick Lynch, Waikato Regional Council's Regional Compliance Manager, said: 'This is a well set up dairy farm where money has been invested in upgrading effluent infrastructure over recent years. This case highlights the fact that good infrastructure must also be well managed throughout the season to avoid causing environmental harm.' 'We encourage all farmers to have documented Effluent Management Plans for their farm effluent systems and to ensure all employees and contractors working on their farms are aware of their responsibilities.'
