1 September
2006 - An admission by the State Environment Minister
Mark McGowan that his predecessor had endangered
the health of West Australians has exposed the
Carpenter Labor Government’s failure to protect
West Australians and the gross negligence of one
of its ministers.
Media reports today reveal former
Environment Minister Judy Edwards “inadvertently”
allowed Midland Brick to increase its hydrogen
fluoride kiln stack emissions to five times the
proper limits for two years.
Mr McGowan has been forced to
correct this major bungle by Ms Edwards and has
directed his department to:
“…amend Midland Brick’s operating
licence to unwind emissions concessions inadvertently
granted by his predecessor Judy Edwards two years
earlier.”
(The West Australian, 1 September 2006, p.6)
It is unacceptable for the Carpenter
Government to simply abandon residents in the
Swan Valley, Guildford and Hazelmere who have
potentially been exposed to risky levels of emissions
for two years while the State Labor Government
‘accidentally’ relaxed Midland’s emissions controls.
The Carpenter Government was clearly asleep at
the wheel and may well have jeopardised the health
of West Australians through its actions.
In comparison, brickworks recently
approved for the Perth Airport site by the Australian
Government has 60 strict environmental conditions
– the safest level of any brickworks in Australia.
Those 60 conditions were necessary
because the State Labor Government has an inadequate
monitoring regime, yet Mr McGowan has the gall
to criticise the Australian Government for the
brickworks approval with strict environmental
conditions.
The Australian Government’s
stands by its commitment to strong environmental
regulations and its concern for local communities.
Rob Broadfield
