New Zealand
Kerikeri is in the ‘Bay of Islands’ in the semi-tropical Northland of New Zealand. Renowned for its warm temperate climate, fertile soil and creative residents. Known as the ‘fruit bowl of the north’, here you’ll find abundant fresh local foods, cafes, vineyards, galleries, gardens, arts and crafts.
The whole area is stunning to the eye, clear blue water ideal for all watersports and holiday pursuits, it is a major holiday resort.
However, as with most of New Zealand there is a dark underside to the area. Going back to the earliest settlements agriculture and shortly afterwards the fruit growing horticulture was the main income earning industry in New Zealand.
Profit had to be made to let the country survive and shortcuts, common sense ignored in the efforts to produce the essential exports that drove the economy. Little has changed right up to present times.
International traffic, settlers and tourists from around the world flood to New Zealand to enjoy the sheer beauty, low population density and the adventures that are on offer.
The New Zealand Government promotes the country, pushing the clean pure image, historically the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has been acclaimed worldwide as an incredible success but it is a TOTAL LIE.
All the fruit growing areas, some going back to the 1800’s are seriously contaminated with the insecticides and herbicides used over the centuries that still exist in the soil today.
Vast areas of the fruit growing areas have now become residential but the land on which the beautiful homes sit has dark secrets lying just below the surface.
The image that the 100% PURE campaign has always given the FALSE impression that there is NO POLLUTION in NEW ZEALAND.
In reality, the damage done to the environment by the intensive horticultural and agricultural activities is very severe and widespread.
Ian Knox of Ray White Kerikeri sold Killara to us without disclosing the known contamination issues at the site.
This led to a nightmare series of incidents totally out of our control, we lost everything, health, wealth and all our possessions.
Remarkably, the New Zealand Government has historically been one of the major polluters of the environment.
They disposed of toxic chemicals on large areas of New Zealand in the 1960’s. Used 2,4,5-T, contaminated with Dioxins to clear most of the bush to create more farmland.
Love this site – at last an honest report on the way estate agents work in New Zealand.
We bought a lovely house in Kerikeri a few years ago, it took us a few years before we discovered the land was contaminated with arsenic, we had the town water supply so the risk to us was low. Our baby had played in the garden, often covered with mud and now we worry that she has arsenic in her system that may kill her. We immediately installed a sandpit which was a great success.
We discussed with our agent, not Ray White, they told us to sell and move away which we did but it left us feeling ‘dirty’ another baby may also be exposed.
We moved to Aus but now doubt it is any difference here – hard to tell!
It is a dirty business – lives are cheap and profits high as you state but surely it needs to be sorted and soon.
Thank you for your open report.
Your story is amazing, here in Switzerland the Real Estate agents are far more controlled.
If one took the actions you detail here they would be arrested and convicted very seriously.
New Zealand allows this form of manslaughter for profit without legal penalty, it must stop surely.