This homegrown Erin Brockovich story follows former Whakatāne sawmill worker Joe Harawira and his long battle to reveal the impact that workplace toxins have had on his community. In the 80s after being afflicted by health issues, Harawira noticed co-workers getting sick. In 1988 he helped found SWAP (Sawmill Workers Against Poisons) and began investigating the effects of exposure to dioxins, a by-product of timber treatment. The Joe versus the mills crusade screened on Māori Television, and won Best Popular Documentary at the 2012 NZ Television Awards.
OSH wasn’t around in those days ... The safety precautions were pretty rugged really ... now that we know what we know now.– Joe Harawira
Made with funding from NZ On Air
Songs 'Theme', 'Pop Song', 'I'll Walk Back up that Hill', 'Left by Soft' all performed by David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights
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