Ungagged, will Cassy O’Connor fess up on Rosebery fiasco?

Now that Premier Lara Giddings is about to remove the gag from the Greens, will Cassy O’Connor finally reveal the Greens’ position on the disastrous DHHS/EPA investigation in Rosebery … in the same vein as her comments on the Wellington Park Management Trust:

http://oldtt.pixelkey.biz/index.php?/article/greens-back-wellington-park-trust/

Cassy O’Connor [i]could[/i] now publicly declare in relation to Rosebery that the Greens:

1. Recognise the immense beauty and natural wonder of the west coast of Tasmania and the long term poisoning of people and the environment that has been allowed to continue as a result of failure by successive governments to properly regulate corporate mining companies and their mine emissions over many decades in Tasmania.

2. Acknowledge the vital work of the Toxic Heavy Metals Taskforce Tasmania – THMTT – and its aims to ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services effectively monitors public health outcomes for people residing in mining towns or legacy mine areas in Tasmania and ensures that no person consumes drinking water drawn from mining contaminated waterways or heavy metal contaminated water reticulation infrastructure In Tasmania.

3. Note that the THMTT has achieved through outstanding perseverance, an effective community awareness campaign on heavy metal toxicty from mine pollution without any co-operation from the Department of Health and Human Services or the EPA and in face of threats of violence and arson from a few individuals within the Rosebery community

4. Note with dismay the Laborials undemocratic attitude that residents of mining communities in Tasmania must be treated as third class citizens and be denied the basic human right to live safely in their own homes free from exposure to mine emission levels that are not properly regulated by the EPA and are the most toxic from any industry in Tasmania.

5. Understand that the Premier Lara Giddings and the Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne made repeatedly, entirely incorrect, public statements that there are no health risks for Rosebery residents from emissions to air, groundwater and soil of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Zinc and Copper upon advice received from the Director of Health Dr Roscoe Taylor and former Deputy Director of Health Dr Chrissie Pickin.

6. Recognise that mining is not a sustainable industry and that as a matter of urgency there needs to be a statewide community discussion forum to consider the long term management of mineral resources in the state, the long term impact of legacy and current mines and whether or not Tasmanians want to allow any more of our waterways and landscape to be destroyed by mining in light of the lack of independence, resources and staffing within the EPA or any commitment from the DHHS to protect the health of mining communities before the interests of corporate miners.

7. Condemns the actions of the DHHS for attempting to undermine and discredit several poisoned residents of Rosebery by attempting to coerce them to undergo psychiatric assessment with a psychiatrist who conducts psychiatric assessments on behalf of the Government in workers compensation claims and without having seen any of these residents made a public statement about their mental health status; and

8. Rejects the Laborials shared premise that the state will fall apart if they do not push the jobs mantra in both the mining and forestry industries and that all other considerations about the health of our communities and the environment must be put at risk because of greedy, politically motivated and short-term governance that fast-tracks open slather mining anywhere in Tasmania.

Then again, a declaration from the Greens such as this might lead to further questions being asked about just how compromised the Greens have become in their quest for power – more backlash at the polls – you bet.