Ms BURNET question to MINISTER for MACQUARIE POINT URBAN RENEWAL, Mr ABETZ
We learnt at Estimates and from the Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) hearing provided to the upper House that the Macquarie Point site contains up to 220,000 cubic metres of contaminated fill containing asbestos, lead, mercury, arsenic, cyanide, benzenes and other toxic chemicals. This is information the Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC) apparently didn’t provide to the TPC. It was confirmed by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) that the regulated cap on the Copping C Cell is 45,000 cubic metres. If your stadium was to go ahead and construction begin, a significant public health issue is raised.
What’s the plan? It’s clear to us that you and the MPDC can’t be trusted to tell the truth about the contaminated soils on site. As minister responsible for the stadium, how do you explain MPDC’s misleading information, and can you give any assurance that this high volume of contaminated soil can be safely dealt with?
The SPEAKER – The member’s time has expired.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I wish I could thank the member for Clark for the question, but the aspersions cast on very good public servants is something that should not be occurring in this place. By all means, attack me, attack members of the government, but don’t attack public servants who cannot defend themselves in this place.
We are asked to accept at face value the numbers provided by the Greens. Last Sunday, there was a group of 15,000 people gathered and the Greens tell us that was equivalent to the 1500 that appeared the week before, so I am very sceptical, forgive me, but experience has taught me to be exceptionally careful when Greens quote numbers and assert things because I’ve been burnt once too often, so I will be exceptionally careful. However, let’s also be exceptionally clear –
Dr Woodruff – Get to the question, get to the Hansard, get to the truth.
The SPEAKER – Dr Woodruff.
Ms BURNET – Point of order, Speaker, Standing Order 45, relevance. I draw the minister to the question.
The SPEAKER – I ask the honourable Treasurer to be relevant to the question, please.
Mr ABETZ – I thought I was, but I can understand that the answer is uncomfortable for the member for Clark. What I would say to the member for Clark, even assuming that which you assert is correct – let’s assume that just for once, very dangerous, I know, but we will assume it – that contaminated soil would need to be removed, irrespective of the project that was going to take place on the site. Indeed, Labor and the Greens at one stage wanted a hospital there, all on contaminated soil. Having the odd concert, convention or football game compared to a hospital was not an issue for the Greens at the time. It’s only become an issue because they don’t like the AFL stadium and the multipurpose nature of it.
Dr Woodruff – You need three more Coppings.
The SPEAKER – Dr Woodruff.
Mr ABETZ – I’m further advised the testing undertaken by the MPDC indicates that approximately 10 per cent of the historical fill estimated to be removed will require disposal at Copping, and this is well within the facility’s annual capacity. The MPDC has drilled I don’t know how many hundreds of holes on the site to determine the levels of contamination. Isn’t it amazing when we refer to the site as an ‘industrial wasteland’ the Greens attack us for referring to it as such, but then when it suits them they say the whole site is contaminated and how dare you build anything on it. I just wish there was some consistency.
The SPEAKER – The honourable Treasurer’s time has expired.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Ms BURNET – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Ms BURNET – The question I asked was what’s the plan? I draw the minister’s attention to what was put on the public record, that there is about 220,000 cubic metres of contaminated fill. What’s the plan, because Copping won’t be able to take all of that?
The SPEAKER – Honourable Treasurer.
Mr ABETZ – Speaker, it’s one of those problems when you have a supplementary question and you want to ask it without listening to the answer. I just indicated to you that Copping can take the amount. I will repeat it again for the benefit of the honourable member. I’m further advised that testing undertaken by MPDC indicates that approximately 10 per cent of the historical fill estimated to be removed will require disposal at Copping. This is well within the facility’s annual capacity.
Dr Woodruff – That’s not what they said to the Legislative Council.
The SPEAKER – Dr Woodruff.
Mr ABETZ – Leader of the Greens, we know that the member for Clark had to ask your question because you didn’t quite get around to it, but that doesn’t give you licence to interject on the answer. What I would say to the member for Clark is that the contamination will be removed by all the required standards and the people who use that facility can be guaranteed that they will be safe and there is no human health issue.
The SPEAKER – The honourable Treasurer’s time has expired.
