0
0
The NSW government is establishing a Coal Ash Advisory Committee to support its response to the 16 recommendations it already agreed to action following the ‘2020 NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into costs for remediation of sites containing coal ash repositories’ (Coal Ash Inquiry).
“We must be living in a parallel universe,” said Gary Blaschke OAM, spokesperson for
community group Future Sooner. “In March 2021 the government’s Coal Ash Inquiry delivered its Report. It was unanimous in its findings.
Of the 16 recommendations, the two big ones that had the most impact on the health of residents were recommendations six and seven.
“Neither of these recommendations has commenced let alone been completed even though the deadline for publishing the findings of recommendation No 6: “NSW Health to assess the health of residents near coal ash dams to establish the health impacts of coal ash”, was 31 December 2022.
“Now at the end of 2024 we’re suddenly invited to apply for the NSW Coal Ash Advisory Committee that will determine whether people living close to power stations and their coal ash dams are exposed to potentially harmful chemicals.
“The closing date for applications is December 4 when people are well into Christmas. There are no terms of reference available. No information on how the Committee will be chosen and NSW Health is yet to distribute the flyers it promised.
“All we know at the moment is that this new Committee will meet quarterly. We don’t know what
power it will have or whether it can force the government to comply with its findings. Is this yet
another box ticking exercise?
“Evidence from both the UN and the NSW Government’s 2020 Inquiry came to the same conclusion – pollution from coal-fired power stations like Vales Point and Eraring and their ash dams damage people’s health.
At the recent Future Sooner Citizens’ Inquiry residents told their stories of unexplained
asthmas, respiratory diseases, cancers and other chronic illnesses that they believe come from
coal-fired power stations. They want action now.
“How long will it take the Coal Ash Advisory Committee to come to the same conclusion is
anyone’s guess. Meanwhile the health of residents on the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie
continues to be put at risk.
