OURUHIA RADIO TOWER – CHRONOLOGY OF MAIN EVENTS
1980
The Radio Company - planning consent for two AM stations
Location opposed by electrical engineers due to likely interference
1984
Transmissions commenced for two AM stations
1989
Small 20ft Hills radiotower built without consent and transmitted AM
1989
Submitter Barry Robertson moved to Ouruhia
1990
RadioNZ added FM to Ouruhia tower without consent
1991
Radio NZ given permission by Dept of Commerce to increase FM power from
32dBW to 48dBW due to obstructions (buildings and trees). NB this dBW
scale is logarithmic so each additional 3 dBA is a doubling of the power and
each 10dBA is a 10 fold increase. 48 dBW is therefore 40 times higher power
output that 32dBW.
1992
Submitter Penny Hargreaves bought her land at Lower Styx Road for a horse
riding centre.
1994
Penny’s health and horses health significantly deteriorated
1995
Another FM station added without consent
1996
Significant human and animal illness, wildlife left the area, harm to trees
Penny left the farm – her health then improved.
1996
Radio Network applied (unsuccessfully) to make Ouruhia a designated site
Aug 1996
Very high readings recorded by Martin Gledhill but residents not notified
Oct 1996
Residents asked the Council to investigate- initially just the electrical
interference then as residents spoke to each other they realised the high
levels of ill health
Dr Neil Cherry advised Hargreaves of his research on adverse health from
RFEMR
Nov 1996
Further monitoring by Martin Gledhill
Preliminary monitoring on 4 & 5 November in direct line of site- but these
readings never released by Gledhill
Official monitoring on 6 and 7 November- criticised as being behind
obstructions
8 Nov 1996
Gledhill advised B Robertson that his Aug readings were incorrect
20 Nov 1996
Public meeting Dr Cherry spoke to over 100 residents.
Residents requested a thorough investigation.
Council advised they had requested Radio Network to apply for a
retrospective consent for FM emissions
Dec 1996
Clusters of ill health around Ouruhia tower recognised- issue taken up by
local MP Mike Moore
Dec 1996
Norm Collison of Radio Network issued press release – radiotower would be
decommissioned if it caused adverse health effects.
May 1997
Radio Network applied for retrospective consent for existing tow FM
stations and to add two more FM radiostations
Oct 1997
Residents meeting with Council re interference with electrical equipment
June 1997
Council consent hearings – Commissioner Mc Cracken Report granted
retrospective consent for the two FM station and for two extra FM stations
Appeal to Environment Court EnvC404/97 by 100 residents, (residents later
became incorporated and sought unsuccessfully to amend appellant to the
new society.)
1998
Another AM station added to Ouruhia without monitoring or consent
More of Hargreaves cows became sick and died- unusual blood tests
Penny Hargreaves and Jan Zervos diagnosed with symptoms of radiation
sickness
1998
Environment Court mediation- RadioNetwork agreed to fund a human
health and vet study and for blood tests. 100 people requested to
participate. However study never completed as said to be too expensive for
Radio Network.
Council funded Professor Sweet Pilot Study Report. Found clusters of
significant ill health around Ouruhia. Prof Sweet requested further
investigation.
Dr Hocking Report- for ethical reasons very sick or suicidal people could not
be included.
1998
Dr Grother (vet) employed by residents and took blood tests of four sick
horses. Blood improved when moved form Ouruhia
1998
60 minutes TV programme re plight of sick Ouruhia residents. Council
agreed on air to make Radio Network comply with the law and relocate FM
to Sugarloaf until the appeal was heard
1998
Shirley Primary School v CCC (Re Teelcom celltower)– Environment Court
1999
Medical and veterinary reports show permanent health effects to people
and horses
1999
Kerdemelidis and other Ouruhia evidence to Environment Court
Case settled part heard (after three weeks of hearing) due to failure of sick
residents to raise sufficient funds to progress case and fear of costs awards
against them
Original proposed settlement sought gagging orders from residents for 20
years and threatened additional FM transmitters and $10,000 fine of
Parties eventually negotiated consent for AM and FM for 5 year term.
Judge Skelton directed more monitoring of Ourhuia emissions 1999
Monitoring report not given to residents until found in archived council files
in 2002. This report shows FM wave peaks at 300m, 800m and 2km
1999-
NZ Standard “Radiofrequency Fields” NZS2772:1 1999 based on criteria used
by ICNIRP and to protect against “established effects” ie heating effects of
RFEMR. NB NZS criteria for proof of harm mismatched with RMA s3.
NZS2772:1 1999 offers no protection against biological effects, allergic
effects or for people with pacemakers.
Jan 2000
One FM transmitter relocated to Sugarloaf.
Direction and increased power of remaining FM to north from 42 to 48 dBW
(ie x4) creating adverse health in new locations to north of tower.-
2002
Hargreaves filed High Court proceedings alleging nuisance, negligence and
trespass.
2004
Ouruhia Consent negotiated in Environment Court 5 year term expired.
Ouruhia residents not aware of any subsequent consent applications.
2005
Radio Network application to ECAN to clean the 350ft tower. Noted tower
was in need of repair.
2006
Residents learned that power of 97.7FM had been increased to northresidents there reported sickness- refer Linda Dawber.
Nob 2009
LN Local Government and Environment Report on the Petition 2005/179 of
Sarah Allen and 3100 others recomeds review of NZS2772:1 1999 and of the
composition of the Interagency Advisory committee on the Health effects of
Non-ionising Radiation
Sept 2010 and Feb 2011 Christchurch earthquakes-
Significant liquefaction and slumping of Ouruhia radiotower. Guy wires
ratcheted for over a week to try to stabilise the tower.
March 2011
Transmissions from temporary Ouruhia tower (the old Hils tower that had
been removed in Aug 1996) - no record of any monitoring of this.
May 2011
WHO/IARC Reclassify RFEMR as a Class 2B (possible) carcinogen base don
expert advice in 400+ page IARC Monographs Vol 102
2012
Ouruhia Radiotower rebuilt – no record of any monitoring since then
2015
Panel for Christchurch Replacement Plan
Evidence of Ouruhia submitters re widespread human, animal and
environmental ill-health
2/12/15
Advice from counsel for Council - no monitoring of tower since prior to 2008
Current status of resource consents for AM and FM emissions is unclear.