30 October 2024

ALAN HAYES

 

THE State Government has anounced that it is establishing a committee to support its response to the ‘NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into costs for remediation of sites containing coal ash repositories’ available here.

 

In response to the Inquiry’s recommendations, NSW Health has commissioned a review of environmental data to determine whether people living close to power stations and coal ash dams are exposed to potentially harmful chemicals through air, water, soil or local fish and seafood.

 

Health advocate group Future Sooner's spokesperson, Gary Blaschke OAM said that he was amazed just how slow the government bureaucracy works when it comes to protecting their citizens.

 

"After standing before the Upper House inquiry into coal ash dams in NSW and in March 2021 and having a detailed report published with sixteen recommendations, one of which stated that NSW Health immediately undertake an epidemiological assessment of the health of residents near coal ash dams to establish the impacts of coal ash and to publish the report by 31 December 2022, very little has transpired since," Mr Blaschke said.

 

"The Lower house of Parliament then recommended Exposure Assessments or health risk assessment studies as an alternative, yet none have been conducted to date.

 

"Now, close to two years later, NSW Health is about to establish an inquiry looking into their own inquiry and calling for local community members with coal ash expertise to be part of an advisory committee. This is even after three face to face meetings, where Future Sooner presented damming evidence that exposed the details that had been swept under the carpet for decades."

 

In 2023 the United Nations (UN) visited the Central Coast and attended a Citizens Inquiry where locals told their horrific stories of respiratory illnesses, such as acute asthma, chronic health conditions and cancers, which formed part of the UN report submitted to the Government.

 

"Even though the NSW Government had already established the proposed exposure assessment plan and data sources and an inventory of potential exposure pathways and monitoring options, we seem to be going back to where it all began," Mr Blaschke said.

 

Daniel Mookhey MLC, now NSW Treasurer, chaired the government inquiry into the health issues associated with the coal ash dams on the Central Coast. when he was in opposition. The Inquiry Report was damning of the NSW EPA and of NSW Health, commenting that their lack of action demonstrated a complete disregard by the government towards the health of its citizens.

 

"We can only take the Government's announcement as a positive outcome for the efforts of Future Sooner," said Mr Blaschke.

 

The committee will allow open discussions between NSW Health and representatives of the local community, stakeholder groups and local councils on the potential health impacts of coal ash.

 

NSW Health is seeking applications from community members and those from local civic, professional, and environmental groups to apply to join the committee.

 

Committee members will contribute to committee discussions, attend around four meetings a year, and help communicate information about the coal ash study to the broader community.

 

Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said “This new committee will allow us to gain a deeper understanding of the impacts of coal ash deposits on communities in Lake Macquarie and Lake Munmorah.

 

“I encourage interested residents in those areas to take this opportunity to donate their time and expertise to find a way forward to clean up these sites for the lasting benefit of their communities.”

 

Those interested can obtain a nomination form by contacting independent Chair of the Community Advisory Committee: David Ross, at David.Ross@phoenixstrategic.com.au. Nominations close on 6 December 2024.

Name (First & Last):

Email:

Submitting Form...

The server encountered an error.

Subscription received.

SUBSCRIBE