The NSW Labor Opposition has slammed Environment Minister, Robyn Parker for failing to alert Stockton residents about the release of a highly dangerous chemical into the air surrounding their homes.
The Orica ammonium nitrate facility near Stockton released plumes of hexavalent chromium into the air on Monday.
Minister Parker chose not to release information about the dangerous chemical leak to nearby residents until late on Thursday – despite being informed on Tuesday morning.
“The O’Farrell Government has serious questions to answer – why weren’t local residents informed about the release of a highly dangerous airborne chemical when the Government first knew on Tuesday morning?” Shadow Environment Minister Luke Foley said.
“The Environment Minister Robyn Parker deliberately sat on the information for 48 hours and until the end of the Parliamentary sitting before announcing this chemical leak had threatened public safety.
Labor are hypocrits to call for Robyn Parkers head to roll. It was the Labor party that approved, licensed & regulated ORICAS conditions of consent. The Libs inherited this flawed industries system from Labor. Years ago improvements re alerting residents were promised. So the real question is what did Labor ever do to protect & warn residents during all those years of opportunity while they were in power?
I have wondered over the last few days since we have found out about hexavalent chromium coming over this way (Stockton)..how would the Government & their little “fix the problem people”..like it if the gas wafted over their home?..WOW!!!…I can just see it now…what an uproar there would be…Then I hear about a gas plant being put beside it…If that happened & something went wrong & an explosion occurred..Stockton would be just a memory…Kooragang should never have been after BHP vacated…I hope with me being unwell isn’t a condition of hexavalent chromium…
Three days is not good enough, utter disgrace.