"Toxic Dysfunction" of Government Eroding Williamtown Solution

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson believes the "toxic dysfunction" of the State and Federal Governments has derailed their ability to find a solution for Williamtown.

The MP flew to Canberra yesterday to meet with Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne and Head of the PFAS Taskforce Senator James McGrath to demand answers.

But she says she came away disappointed with no answers, only being told that a number of options were being considered.

Senator Payne stated during the meeting that "defence stands ready to do whatever is asked of it from the Government".

Senator James McGrath and Senator Marise Payne at
Williamtown in May this year.

"I think it really speaks to the bigger problem that we have a Prime Minister who is incapable of making a decision and is battling to keep his job and batting off people that want his job. The buck stops in Cabinet, in Cabinet is where the big decisions are made," said Meryl Swanson.

Meryl Swanson said she came away with one startling revelation - Defence wasn't asked to come to Williamtown for the latest Williamtown Community Reference Group briefing where the Environmental Protection Authority informed residents the 'management area' or Red Zone had been expanded to include another 250 properties.

She says to get anywhere, everyone needs to work together, not pit everyone against each other.

"The last thing we want is the NSW Government and the NSW agencies like the EPA and Health, pitting Defence against the community. We need to be working together on this."

Meryl Swanson says a little bit of fault lies with all of the parties involved and she won't stop fighting for Williamtown until the problem is solved.

"The next step for me is to get back to Canberra on Sunday and go into next week continuing to push hard. I'm going to again contact the Prime Minister and say what is going on here and I'm going to continue to fight for the people of Williamtown like I have been."

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson at Williamtown in May this year.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson: Be on notice.

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson's persistence paid off yesterday when Williamtown residents finally had the opportunity to meet with Defence Minister Marise Payne and head of the Prime Minister's contamination taskforce Senator James McGrath.

Behind closed doors on a cattle farm in Salt Ash, 20 residents told their harrowing stories face-to-face with people who could make a difference, and residents hoped it did.

It's a meeting the Paterson MP has been pushing for some time, and finally, the Defence Minister made good on her promise to come to Williamtown and meet with residents if she was re-elected.

Residents stories will be taken back to Canberra, and Meryl Swanson says it couldn't be too soon.

"You've come, you've said that you've heard us, I am supportive of what they've done today and I'll sing their praises for that but if they let us down all bets are off. We've given them faith and trust and I've played nicely politically today but, be on notice. We want action in Williamtown. it must happen."

Many residents are locked into a situation they simply can't see the end of.

"Can there be nothing worse than being a prisoner in your own home through no fault of your own. They don't want their bodies contaminated, they don't want their water contaminated and they don't want their properties contaminated"

Senator McGrath said he was touched by the harrowing stories of residents and is "deadly serious" about putting a plan in place to put an end to the contamination crisis.

"It's just so powerful when you sit and you hear it and you've actually got to look people in the eyes while they tell you we're still paying our mortgage while we rent somewhere else because we don't want our children to be exposed to this. We're retired, this is the only investment we have in our retirement," said Meryl Swanson.