Will the Toxic Dump get its Funding?

Will Tasmanʼs application for the Copping hazardous waste C cell be successful? Funding advice is imminent.

With the early release by Government of successful Regional Australia Development Fund (RDAF) Round 4 applications, the community are on tenterhooks waiting for results.

Over 2400 community letters and two online petitions with over 700 “NOs” have been sent to the RDAF Panel with many more letters sent to the Ministers responsible for funding, showing that the public are completely against the application.

Angela Marsh, President of the Southern Beaches Conservation Society says that the likelihood of the application being funded is a political hot potato.

“How can the RDAF ignore this when it is supposed to have community support? How can they grant funding for a Toxic waste dump when the RDAF is supposed to be for local infrastructure such as:

• the economic growth of an area, convention centers, expansion of tourism facilities; support for the community, childcare or community centers;

• arts and culture, theatres/ performance centers; and

• sport and recreation, upgrades to stadiums and ovals.”

Dunalley was burned out in the January bushfires, they need a community hall. The Sorell girl guides have been promised a Guide hut for months since Council pulled down the old one to make way for new Council Chambers. Up-dated sewerage is required, so that the oyster farmers donʼt suffer loss of income through sewerage leeks like those that occurred only a month ago.

Since when did the Tasmanian Government and Tasmanian Councils have the right to get a small council such as Tasman Council, to put in an application to fund a statewide Toxic Dump? Since when did the state Economic Development Plan, the North-West Economic Development Plan and the Southern Region Economic Development Plan and businesses around the state become Sorell Community support for the C cell Application?