TV job costs pest man $53,000 | Northern Rivers Crime | Robberies, Assaults and Convictions in Northern Rivers

Peter Caton | 7th April 2009

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A PEST controller who exterminated mosquitos making a meal of TV stars at the Tweed filming location of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, has been penalised $53,000 for killing yabbies in Dungay Creek.

Brunswick and Byron-based pest exterminator Harold Ross was fined $18,000 and ordered to pay $35,000 in costs in the Land and Environment Court after pleading guilty to polluting the waters of Dungay Creek.

The court was told last week about 1000 'native crayfish' and 'some insects' were killed during the spraying operation in 2007.

The court heard Ross used the pesticide bifenthrin, which is toxic to aquatic life, around Dungay Creek.

He had been engaged by the TV series' producers to rid the filming location of mosquitos to stop the cast and crew being bitten.

In sentencing, Justice Nicola Pain took into account Ross's early guilty plea, efforts to clean up the site and help with the investigation.

Department of Environment and Climate Change director-general Lisa Corbyn said the court's decision sent a clear message to all pesticide users.

“All pesticides must be handled and used so as not to cause harm to the environment,” she said.

No comment was yesterday available from the media centre for the program's makers, British TV company ITV.

Last November it was revealed Tweed Shire Council was called in to help reduce mosquito numbers around the rainforest location because they were making life uncomfortable for celebrities and crews.

A report tabled by Tweed Shire Council said film production workers had experienced 'severe attacks' from mosquitos during filming and wanted to reduce the annoyance.

The council responded to the complaint by conducting research into options that could reduce the mosquito population.

At the time the council's entomologist, Clive Easton, said research would focus around the filming location, but added: “Given the sensitivity of the site we want to be sure everything is done in an environmentally-friendly way.”

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