Two companies accused of discharging contaminants onto a rural property from an old industrial site in Gore have had their charges dismissed by an Environment Court judge. The trial, before Judge Brian Dwyer, started in Invercargill on April 21 and pitted Environment Southland against Johnstone Construction Limited and Marshalls Excavating Limited. Environment Southland had charged both companies with discharging a contaminant onto or into land from industrial or trade premises. However, at the conclusion of the prosecution evidence, lawyers for both companies applied for a discharge relating to the charges against their clients. This was granted by the judge, and both charges were dismissed.

Source: Stuff April 27, 2021 23:15 UTC