Beautiful East Coast day … then …

PETER POWER

I have witnessed the recent terrible Forestry Tasmania burnoffs that have occurred in the week of the 5th May 2009 from my property which overlooks the coast line from Falmouth through to Flinders Island; I have not been able to see past Beaumaris due to the smoke haze from FT’s burnoffs.

Dear Editor,

I am writing due to my grave concerns regarding the health of our community in all of the regions of the Break O Day municipality.

I have witnessed the recent terrible Forestry Tasmania burnoffs that have occurred in the week of the 5th May 2009 from my property which overlooks the coast line from Falmouth through to Flinders Island. I have not been able to see past Beaumaris due to the smoke haze emulating from FT’s burnoffs.

My concerns are also about the chemical and respiratory fallout affects from these burnoffs and the health of our aged and frail and also the healthy population of residents who live within the BOD region.

I urge all concerned community members to express their concerns to their local political members explaining their complaints regarding issues that effect themselves and family members.

There are several issues such as the FT burnoffs and general Forestry issues, the use of pesticides including triazines and 1080 use by plantation companies and properties.

The community have to speak up and have a voice and bring these issues forward especially now, the local and state elections are only months away.

It has been noted and documented that the BOD region has a high rate of ill-health and Cancer.

We have to ask our local Break O Day Council what is their position regarding these very important issues and what are they prepared to do to ensure that we all live in an environment that is safe and protects the community from exposure to environmental toxins for all of our community to live in.

How can we promote the region as the premium tourist destination and also the perfect place to retire, when it is affected by such negative and very concerning health issues that we all face on a daily basis.

I know that we have the immediate issue of regeneration burnoffs, however we should have additional concerns regarding the ongoing triazine ( Atrazine)effects, such as endocrine and immune system disruption.

There are many issues here with the use of endocrine disruptors(Atrazine), not just our precious water, there are issues of over spray when private companies spray near waterways and near properties that grow our vegetables and produce.

Add to that the use of 1080 that has a onflow effect from “controlling”
the vermin i.e wallabies, possums and wombats who graze on farming properties, is there a connection with the problems with the Tasmanian

Devil with the long term use use of these insidious chemicals?

The community has to question…”is it worth letting the use of these chemicals for the gain of a handful of companies and their profit margins, to the detriment of our community” No its not, our communities

health is more important than anything else, so lets speak out and have a voice in the upcoming elections.

Peter Power

Greens Candidate Preselection (Break O Day )

P O Box 195

St Marys 7215