MEDIA RELEASE 2000 - POLLUTION COMMITTEES MUST STAY!!
Cr Kerrie Christian today confirmed her strong support for the retention of Pollution Consultative Committees in Port Kembla, Corrimal and Coalcliff.
"I am pleased that council staff have recognised the need for Wollongong Council to retain its involvement in pollution issues," commented Cr Christian, "for years we have kept faith with our communities and supported these committees - and it seems that problems have mainly surfaced in the last 6 months."
An earlier draft report, which had been circulated to councillors, had proposed that council no longer support the pollution committees - however following strong protests there was a change in direction. Although there are some who hold the view that the Port Kembla Pollution committee was being set up to fail.
The latest report, which is scheduled for Council's Strategy & Review Committee on Monday states that:
"Each of the meetings has a long history dating back to the mid 1980's when a former lord mayor (Frank Arkell) took an initiative to bring representatives of local industries, the government agency then reponsible for pollution control, and the local community together to discuss problems, to facilitate better lines of communication, and to push for improvements in controlling emissions that impact on public health or the local environment."
"Whilst I couldn't agree with all of Frank Arkell's policies, I certainly would have to support his initiative in this area," emphasised Cr Christian, " and that need remains as true today as it did 15-20 years ago."
"And with Port Kembla Copper having just commenced commissioning, it was an absolutely crazy time for Council to have even suggested bailing out," commented Cr Christian, "anyone who knows anything about heavy industry knows that commissioning new equipment is a particularly difficult time."
Cr Christian confirmed that private meetings had been convened by council staff to hold discussions with the EPA and various industries about a month ago - where changes to operations of the 3 pollution committees were discussed. These meetings did not include community reps and council staff had not considered it necessary to consult with the local Neighbourhood Committees on the matter.
"It is true that some attending the pollution meetings have given the Lord Mayor a bit of stick," acknowledged Cr Christian, "but then David Campbell used to also cop more than the odd serve during his 12 years on council and I don't recall him trying to bail out like this - it comes with the territory of being a Lord Mayor or Councillor."
Cr Christian also confirmed that the council report referred to community criticism which claimed that the local Ward 6 councillors were no longer supporting the Port Kembla pollution committee in their own area. She also considered it significant that it was the Ward 4 councillors, Carolyn Griffiths and Trevor Mott who had called for more openness on Council's part in regard to the Unanderra contaminated waste recycling facility - when in fact the facility is to be actually located on the Ward 6 side of Unanderra.
"Copping a bit of stick comes with the territory when you become a councillor or lord mayor - so if you can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen," insisted Cr Christian, "David Campbell was quick to criticise those who he considered didn't like the hard issues - now that would seem to apply to members of his own party."
Cr Christian confirmed that both she and Cr King had attended recent Port Kembla Pollution meetings - despite the fact that they actually represented Ward 1 in the north and Ward 5 in the south respectively. Cr Christian also confirmed that Cr King had indicated that, like herself, she wanted to observe what was happening at the committee meetings for herself; and that they both strongly supported the continuation of these meetings.
"Council staff have proposed that an independent person chair the Port Kembla meetings," explained Cr Christian, "which is quite amazing when most who attended the latest meeting considered that Cr Vicky King did an absolutely superb job - as she did for much of the previous meeting after the departure of the Lord Mayor for another engagement."
Authorised - Kerrie Christian
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