The Tasmanian Greens today (Sunday) repeated their call that methyl bromide is not used to fumigate logs being exported to China, following revelations that the Maritime Union of New Zealand has warned that the gas may have been implicated in the death of between four to six NZ port workers.
Greens Member for Braddon, Paul O’Halloran MP, said that he was disappointed that some people considered it acceptable to dump approximately 13.5 tonnes of this toxic depleted gas at sea.
“The precautionary principle must apply to the residents of Burnie and their environment,” Mr O’Halloran said.
Mr O’Halloran also congratulated the Burnie City Council for taking a stand in the interests of the community’s safety.
“If this fumigation process on these logs cannot be closed-loop, without any gas leaking out into the environment or coming into contact with any workers or residents, then it must not proceed.”
“We now know that the potential role of methyl bromide in the death of four to six NZ port workers is under investigation, in particular any possible links the gas has with motor neurone disease. Any responsible government would put the use of this gas on hold while these investigations are underway.”
“Nobody disputes the importance of quarantine measures, but it is as equally important that any measures are safe.”
“The use of methyl bromide for vegetable exports, which remains contentious in the eyes of some, occurs in a sealed environment with the gas contained. TasPorts proposal for these logs is to let the gas leak into the atmosphere which is unacceptable.”
MINISTER MUST ORDER TASPORTS TO REJECT TOXIC FUMIGATION
Do People of Burnie Need to Carry Canaries in Cages?
Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP
Greens Member for Braddon
The Tasmanian Greens today accused Infrastructure Minister Lara Giddings of washing her hands of the people of Burnie after she refused to use her authority over TasPorts to order that it reject plans to fumigate nine shiploads of whole pine logs in the Burnie port with 1.5 tonnes of Methyl Bromide each, before releasing the toxic gas into the air just 200 metres from the Burnie CBD.
Greens Member for Braddon, Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP, said the Minister seems unaware that the gas is normally re-captured after fumigation due to its highly poisonous nature, and that he was gobsmacked when Minister Giddings today claimed she had “no information” to suggest that releasing Methyl Bromide directly into the atmosphere after use was unsafe.
Mr O’Halloran also again questioned the reason why pine logs that have been heavily subsidised by Tasmanian taxpayers are being exported whole instead of being milled in Tasmania by Tasmanians, and rejected claims that the logs are being sent overseas due to their poor quality.
“Will Minister Giddings use her power over TasPorts to order that it abandon plans for these risky fumigations, or will we see the people of Burnie walking around carrying canaries in cages,” said Mr O’Halloran.
“Methyl Bromide fumigations are normally carried out in sealed locations where the colourless and odourless gas is re-captured after use because it is so dangerous. So why do the people of Burnie have to put up with nine loads of 1.5 tonnes of Methyl Bromide being released into their air 200 metres from their CBD?”
“The Minister continually refers to this practice occurring commonly in other Australian ports, but none of those port facilities are in Tasmania, and none are within 200 metres of a city CBD.”
“I have seen the pine logs being exported and they are not all low-grade logs as claimed by this government and Forestry Tasmania, many of the logs I have seen are big pine sawlogs that should be milled right here in Tasmania, by Tasmanians.”
“Methyl Bromide is usually re-captured after use because it is poisonous, odourless and colourless, the damage it causes is permanent, and there is no way to know if you are being poisoned until after the event. Releasing 9 loads of 1.5 tonnes of this gas into the air 200 metres away from the Burnie CBD is dangerous and negligent.”
Mr O’Halloran also strongly rejected the Minister’s allegation that he is raising unjustified fears about these fumigations, pointing to warnings from the Maritime Union of New Zealand which believes that there are links between exposure to Methyl Bromide and the deaths of up to six NZ port workers.
Senator Stephen Parry
Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate
Liberal, Tasmania
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday June 29, 2010
Fumigation fears cannot be ignored
PLANS to use a fumigant banned in many countries at the Burnie port run contrary to the city’s new image and should immediately be shelved, Tasmanian Liberal Senator Stephen Parry said today.
A former president of the Burnie Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Senator Parry said apart from fears over the public health implications, the controversy over the use of the fumigant methyl bromide would be damaging to the city’s image.
“The Burnie community has worked so hard to shed the image of the past: the view that this is a dirty, industrial city that pollutes, rather than celebrates, its environment,” Senator Parry said.
“For TasPorts to use this fumigant here, when it has said it will not do so in Hobart, shows that it has no understanding of the new Burnie.
“The people of this city do not want to be known for allowing the environmental practices of the past to be those of the present and the future.
“Our community has changed and it is past time that people like Deputy Premier Lara Giddings, who so readily dismissed community concerns, realised that.”
Senator Parry said he was confident commonsense would prevail.
“There exist serious health concerns associated with the use of this poison, as the local media have reported, and the strength of community opinion simply cannot be ignored,” he said.
“It should not take a public protest to force the Minister and TasPorts to reconsider their position; they should have already got the message.”
Jeremy Rockliff
Minister fails to allay concerns on Methyl Bromide
In Budget Estimates today, the Minister for Primary Industries failed to adequately address or allay the community’s concerns regarding the use of large quantities of Methyl Bromide at the Burnie Port.
The people of Burnie are understandably concerned that 1.5 tonnes of Methyl Bromide will be vented from their port and yet rather than properly explaining what measures are in place to protect the health and safety of the community, Bryan Green resorts to personal attacks and dismissing legitimate worries.
Whenever Bryan Green’s incompetence is exposed and he is backed into a corner, he reverts to personal attacks.
His failure to outline details of any site specific analysis of the chemicals use on the port, including airshed monitoring is cold comfort for Burnie.
Mr Green relies on comparisons between Burnie and the Port of Eden in NSW, but this is not like comparing apples with apples. There are vast differences between the Port of Eden and Burnie Port, particularly proximity to a large population centre.
The Minister should explain clearly what measures are in place to protect port workers and the community. It’s not good enough that Bryan Green simply asks us to trust him, as history shows we can’t.
Mr Green must also outline the alternative measures that are available for use when the final ban on Methyl Bromide comes into place.
The Minister needs to show he will stand up for Burnie and undeniably demonstrate that the fumigation will not be a danger to the community. Until this happens, we will continue to hold him to account and the fumigation of logs should not proceed.
TIME TO TAKE A STEP BACK ON METHYL BROMIDE FUMIGATION
Local Council, Union & Business all Opposed, and Shipments Are Actually Uneconomical
Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP
Greens Member for Braddon
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Labor Government to take a step back from its plans to fumigate shiploads of whole logs in Burnie port with 1.5 tonnes of Methyl Bromide each, after the Burnie Mayor, the Burnie Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Maritime Union, and Burnie residents all revealed that they are opposed to the plan, with some going so far as to threaten a port blockade to stop the fumigations.
Greens Member for Braddon, Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP, said the proposal to allow the Methyl Bromide to be vented into Burnie’s air just 200 metres from the CBD is negligent as the dangerous gas is normally re-captured after use due to its highly poisonous nature, and questioned the need for the shipments at all after revelations from Minister Bryan Green this morning that the exports are uneconomical.
Mr O’Halloran also revealed that these whole log shipments are being heavily subsidised by the government’s recently announced $3.6 million forestry assistance package, meaning that that assistance package is now being used to subsidise the export of Tasmanian logs and milling jobs to China.
“The opposition to this fumigation plan is widespread and includes representatives of business, unions, local government and residents themselves – it is clearly time for the Labor Government to take step back from this plan and reconsider the alternatives, especially the retention of the logs in Tasmania for use by Tasmanian mills,” said Mr O’Halloran.
“Will it take a blockade on the wharf involving union and business and community representatives before Labor realises that this proposal is unacceptable?”
“This shipment is worth $3 million, but the freight cost is $1.5 million, the payments to contractors are $1.5 million, so Forestry Tasmania will receive nothing for these logs, and the cost of the fumigation and mitigation processes are still unknown. It is clear that this proposal will cost Tasmanian taxpayers in a number of ways, while returning nothing to the coffers of Forestry Tasmania.”
“Methyl Bromide is routinely re-captured after use because of its highly toxic nature, and it is appalling that this government, Forestry Tasmania, and now TasPorts believe it is okay to release more than tonnes of this gas within 200 metres of the Burnie CBD.”
“It is now apparent that these shiploads are being subsidised under the government’s $3.6 million forestry assistance package, which effectively means that we are ‘assisting’ the industry by exporting Tasmanian pine logs and milling jobs to China.”
“Instead of ramming this unacceptable and uneconomical proposal through and sowing the seeds of division and anger within the community, the Labor Government needs to urgently reconsider the release tonnes of Methyl Bromide gas in the Burnie port,” said Mr O’Halloran.
Greens raise doubts over log returns
There are claims Tasmanians could be subsidising log shipments which are currently the focus of toxic fumigation concerns at Burnie Port.
The Greens believe Forestry Tasmania will receive nothing from the sale.
The Forestry Minister has told a budget estimates hearing that the log shipments are worth $3 million each.
Bryan Green says $1.5 million is paid in freight costs, the other half goes to contractors.
The Greens’ Paul O’Halloran claims that leaves no money for Forestry Tasmania or for the fumigation and mitigation processes.
The Liberals’ Jeremy Rockliff is also concerned taxpayers are picking up the tab.
“We’re all concerned for the forest industry and for jobs, but at what cost?”
The Minister was unable to detail what, if any, money Forestry Tasmania receives as part of the deal.
Mr Green also claims the process provides great export opportunities and the potential for economic benefits in the future.
