Environment
The determination of TT’s Tasmanian of the Year
A Tasmanian doctor who was instrumental in ending the Falklands War says that was much easier than her current battle with the State Government over water pollution.
Dr Alison Bleaney, from St Helens is the subject of tonight’s Australian Story program on ABC 1.
In 1982 she was the hospital administrator at Stanley, in the Falklands, when the call came from the British for anyone able to help facilitate an Argentinian surrender to do so. Dr Bleaney heard the radio transmission, made contact with Argentinian commanders and persuaded them him to communicate with the British and surrender.
For much of the past decade, Dr Bleaney has been at the forefront of highlighting concerns about contamination of Tasmanian water catchments from aerial spraying, investigating the connections between chemical spraying and what she believes is increasing levels of diseases like cancer.
Dr Bleaney says it is a fine line between having the water pollution taken seriously and damaging the reputation of businesses in the area.
“I wouldn’t like to damage those businesses without due cause it’s actually so difficult to talk about because it could be seen as being alarmist to absolutely everyone who is drinking from these water catchments,” she said.
Dr Bleaney’s husband, Michael, says the State Government has tried to damage her credibility.
“She was dismissed, she was rubbished, they made a point of rubbishing her publicly, but there’s a larger issue here, there’s duty of care that extends past her medical practice, she sees the government as failing in their duty of care,” he said.
Sydney scientist, Marcus Scammell says Dr Bleaney remains determined.
“She’s doing in Tasmania what she did in the Falklands in 1982,” he said.
“She’s stepped right out in front of the firing line, for what she believes in and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants, no matter what the cost to her personally, so I should image the Tasmanian Government is in for a long and hard time from Alison, and good luck to her.”
The results of Dr Bleaney and Dr Scammell’s investigation into chemical pollution in Tasmanian water catchments will be revealed on next week’s Australian Story.
The producers of Australian Story contacted the Director of Public Health, who has issued a statement.
