DOC cops growing abuse over use of 1080 pesticide

The Department of Conservation has ramped up security and set up a register to record an increasing number of threats and abuse aimed at staff from anti-1080 campaigners.

Information obtained by Stuff under the Official Information Act shows growing anti-1080 sentiment directed at staff and their families nationwide since October.

Incidents include vandalism, a threat to burn down an office, people yelling obscenities at staff when on or off-duty, and a key partner in an aerial 1080 operation who was threatened on social media with being shot.

‘‘In the last few months, there has been a huge increase, particularly on social media, of anti-1080 and antiDOC sentiment expressed,’’ DOC strategic projects manager Shana Harding said. ‘‘We expect this is the result of a co-ordinated social media effort by 1080 opponents.

‘‘The department leadership has made it clear to staff that the level of 1080 opposition we are hearing is not normal and incidents of harassment or threats should be actively recorded and followed up.’’

DOC has set up a nationwide ‘‘coordinated incident management structure’’ to record harassment and responses to threats.

The department has logged 530 incidents of threats and harassment aimed at staff since January 1, including by direct contact, mail, phone calls, emails and social media.

Of these, 210 incidents were directly related to 1080.

Twelve incidents have been forwarded to police.

Opponents of 1080 claim it kills native animals and birds while supporters say it poses no risk to humans or the environment and is needed to eradicate pests to save native forests. Thousands of anti-1080 protesters marched across the country in September imploring the Government to stop allowing the controversial poison to be used.