Community to meet with

United Nations representatives

The United Nations has accepted Future Sooner’s invitation to meet and discuss the health of the Central Coast, in particular the impact of coal ash dams on residents living in the northern suburbs.

23 August 2023

 

THE United Nations Special Rapporteur (UN), Dr Marcus Orellana is meeting with Future Sooner and the Central Coast community, Chain Valley Community Hall - 29 August 2023 - 1.00pm-3.30pm to discuss their human rights to breathe clean air and enjoy the benefits of unpolluted water.

 

“The UN considers the health issues that people on the Central Coast have to endure from coal-fired power stations like Vales Point and their ash dams important enough to allocate half a day from his busy schedule to come to the Central Coast to talk to the community,” said Future Sooner spokesperson Gary Blaschke OAM.

 

“The Central Coast has one major industry – coal fired power stations. Yet we have an abnormal number of lung diseases and cancers.1 This includes children as young as three years old with brain tumours and teenagers with spinal tumours.

 

“Along with Future Sooner, Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) and the Hunter Community Environment Centre (HCEC) will present their findings. There is also time for a Q&A.

 

“We’ll be covering everything from the air pollution, to cancers, toxins in Lake Macquarie and the fish kill, to exemption licences for coal-fired power stations and what it means to the community.

 

“Future Sooner hopes the UN visit will galvanise the NSW government into implementing the 16 recommendations2 of the Coal Ash Inquiry (March 2021) that they promised to do and so far, have done nothing.

 

“This is an important event for the residents of the Central Coast. We encourage everyone to come along to meet the UN and take this opportunity to tell their story.”

 

Contact: Gary Blaschke OAM, Future Sooner spokesperson | 0424 890 455

 

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, “At Risk Populations”, Torrens University Cancer Cluster Report https://absstats.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=bacd58f73b554c329f431ceb02ef9ab8

 

2 The Committee comment (3.66 Page 32 The Coal Ash Inquiry findings March 2021 “We are disappointed with the response by the NSW EPA and NSW Health to community concerns… on health outcomes for the community. This response, in conjunction with the lack of research conducted to date on this matter, demonstrates a complete disregard by the government towards the health of its citizens.