Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Media Take: Crime and punishment

Rich of Observationz

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 17:16:14 +1300

Lead? Mercury maybe? And there’d be a detectable quantity of that in most houses – somebody will have broken a fluorescent tube at some stage. Maybe they just check for “chemicals” – bound to be some of those around.

(In fact, there are a whole lot of nasties that weren’t…

Russell Brown

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:52:33 +1300

One also wonders if the tests may be finding something else that might trigger a positive result, and at what proportions?

Possible in the case of lead.

But it’s more that the crude tests most of them use in the first instance aren’t actually capable of telling whether the MoH…

Ian Dalziel

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:19:06 +1300

I’ve often wondered about these meth testing and cleaning companies.
One also wonders if the tests may be finding something else that might trigger a positive result, and at what proportions?
What other evidence needs to be presented before the expensive 'cleansing process' kicks in?
Who benefits?
...and who do…

Rich of Observationz

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:10:54 +1300

I've often wondered about these meth testing and cleaning companies.

Those who watch this stuff will remember the storyline in Breaking Bad about a fumigation company that our heroes used as a cover for their meth lab operations. Well, what kind of companies also get to seal buildings and go…

Russell Brown

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:59:39 +1300

Wow, I had no idea that upwards of a million NZers are involved in the production of P. That really is a crisis. Or bullshit. Hmmmmm.

The best one was the crazy extrapolation on the Meth Solutions website that suggested hundreds of thousands of properties used as meth labs.

Or,…

Joe Wylie

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:19:58 +1300

But are they bigger than the burglary epidemic?

All part of the good old broken window fallacy.

BenWilson

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 12:55:13 +1300

The way it’s been building, the Herald will soon be claiming that these mostly pointless meth exorcisms will be a bigger driver of the economy than the Chch rebuild.

But are they bigger than the burglary epidemic?

BenWilson

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 12:37:34 +1300

An industry specialist says 40 per cent of homes he tests contain traces of methamphetamine, known as P.

Wow, I had no idea that upwards of a million NZers are involved in the production of P. That really is a crisis. Or bullshit. Hmmmmm.

Russell Brown

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 12:05:40 +1300

Last night's show is on-demand here.

And there's also an interesting online-only Q&A session with all the panelists answering questions from Toi and me, and from the audience.

Joe Wylie

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 09:07:18 +1300

...the feckless and and often nonsensical stories about "meth houses" and contamination...News stories end up full of wild and contradictory claims and property owners are relieved of yet more money.

Thanks for calling bullshit on this. The way it's been building, the Herald will soon be claiming that these mostly…

William J Ray

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 08:51:59 +1300

Russell, you might want to talk to RNZ reporter Laura Bootham who's looked into the issue of meth contamination testing in-depth. She did a series on dodgy practices at one particular testing company which seem to have disappeared from RNZ's website (not sure why)

Public Address

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 08:51:59 +1300

Discussion from blog post.