2.5 million bees starve to death due to slow bureaucracy

Newshub reports:

Millions of bees have starved to death after COVID-19 checkpoints in and out of Auckland caused a delay in beekeepers accessing their hives.

Wetex Kang of Waitakaruru Honey Limited says around 2.5 million bees died after workers were unable to travel from Waikato to Auckland to feed the bees.

Kang, who is based in Auckland, says many of his business’ 2000 beehives are scattered across the North Island, as are the staff who care for them.

He says although his beekeepers, who are based in Waikato, managed to access the hives in the first few days after alert level 3 was declared in Auckland, that changed after checkpoints became stricter.

After trying unsuccessfully to get to their hives located near Helensville numerous times over the weekend they eventually got through on Monday morning, but by then it was too late.

“We finally got to the bees and they were all dead,” Kang told Newshub.

He said 47 hives – adding up to approximately 2.5 million bees – had starved to death.

That’s appalling. The Greens are normally a strong voice on animal welfare issues. Are they calling for changes so this doesn’t happen again.

More proof that the Government inflexibility is having dire and real consequences.