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Sunday, Sun, 15 DecemberDec 2024
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Dying poison protester stays up mountain

A terminally-ill 1080 poison protester threatening to die on Mt Tongariro shows no sign of coming down after his fifth freezing night on the mountain.

Chris Short, 50, says he will not come down until fellow protesters Clyde and Steve Graf's documentary, Poisoning Paradise -- Ecocide in New Zealand, is broadcast on TV.

Mr Short has a large tumour on a kidney and doctors say he may only have a few weeks to live.

Taupo mayor Rick Cooper said this morning Mr Short was still on the mountain.

His brother, Vaughan Short, joined him on the mountain yesterday with supplies.

He planned to stay with Chris while he continued his protest.

TV3 and TVNZ both said they had not been formally approached about screening the anti-1080 documentary, and Sky TV's New Zealand-based Documentary Channel refused to comment.

Police were monitoring Mr Short's protest, but did not have immediate serious concerns about his situation, Bay of Plenty district communications manager Jacky James said yesterday.

Mr Short either had people with him or in regular contact with him.

He was not breaking any laws and was not missing.

If he was alone, it might be a different situation, she said.

Police had been talking with relevant parties including the Department of Conservation and Mr Cooper about the situation.

If Mr Short died in the bush, police would be involved in the recovery of his body, as they were with anyone who died in the bush, Ms James said.

His wife, Leanne, said yesterday she was hoping her husband would come down and spend his final weeks at home.

His prognosis was "a few weeks or we may get to Christmas", she told NZPA.

"I can see his point, but of course I'd like to have him at home with me."

She could not be contacted for comment today.

Mr Short has support among hunters who are talking online of a mass march at the weekend to see him.

Mr Short made headlines and was jailed for two years in 1995 after he hijacked a helicopter at gunpoint and made the pilot drop him on the mountain to highlight his fight against 1080.

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