Federal Government Williamtown contamination report tabled

BY JARROD MELMETH

A report being tabled by the federal government on the Williamtown Contamination crisis is being labelled as a slap in the face by the opposition.

The report comes as a result of a motion moved jointly by Labor and the Greens in December last year which called on the Turnbull Government to explain what consideration it had given to addressing the contamination crisis.

The Senate motion required the government to release its report on the 5th of February however, the report was given to the president rather than tabled in the Senate, which NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon says only adds to the bad way the people of Williamtown are being treated by the Government.

"Not only is it a day late. The report is totally inadequate. It really is quite arrogant. They have basically just listed key financial organisations they have met with, without releasing recommendations or the substance of the discussion about the key aspects of the motion which required the government to detail the financial impacts of the contamination on the people of Williamtown," Ms Rhiannon said.

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson has described the government's handling of the motion as "a sign of utter disdain for the people of Williamtown who have suffered through no fault of their own."

The report will be tabled later today.

A property within the Williamtown contamination red zone.

Swanson Moves Motion with Greens for Answers on Red Zone

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Federal Government now has a deadline.

They have until February 6, 2018, to explain what consideration they are giving to the people and business of Williamtown when it comes to their financial situations.

Labor, the Greens and some minor parties have joined forces to put forward a Senate motion condemning the Department of Defence's response to the PFAS contamination saga in the Williamtown red zone, and also calling on the Turnbull government to explain what consideration it has given to addressing any financial impacts on affected businesses and individuals.

The motion was a culmination of work by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon and Paterson MP Meryl Swanson who has been going in to bat for Williamtown in Canberra since the saga began.

"That's what this motion is about, it's about putting pressure on the government to say you keep telling us that you have a solution, you keep telling us that you have options for the people of Williamtown. That was six months ago, where are these options, we need to know what is going on," said Meryl Swanson.

A solution is yet to be found for the people suffering in the red zone, and Meryl Swanson believes the issue is bigger than politics, it's about people's lives.

"I just really want a scheme that's fair and that is straight forward and that helps people and gives them options. The actuary people, the policy people will be able to develop the details of whatever these things are going to be, but I just want something that's going to look after the people of Williamtown who have already been through enough."

"What they need to do is give a meaningful explanation of what is going on moving forward so when Senator James Magrath, head of the PFAS Taskforce stands up and says we have a plan, we need to know what that plan is," said Meryl Swanson.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson in Williamtown in May 2017.

Greens call out Labor over ARENA deal with Coalition

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Greens have called out labour for "striking a dirty deal with the coalition" which could see $500 million cut from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

Labor have struck a deal worth $800 million over the next five years with the coalition which Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon says has secured over 40 Newcastle-based positions at the National Solar Energy Centre in Mayfield West.

"This is great news for Newcastle, that we will be able to maintain world class serious research into renewable energy."

"I can assure, having met with some of the CSIRO people yesterday, they are very pleased to have some bipartisan support at long last around these critical issues of targets, financing, and the ARENA programs."

Greens Senator, Lee Rhiannon says the cuts highlight the Coalitions false commitment to innovation, and Labor's false commitment to clean energy.

"Labor have tried to put a good spin on what is a bad outcome for the renewable energy future," she says.

"Not only is this a brutal blow to clean energy investment, research and development across the country, it is a huge setback for regional communities...who benefit from projects like these.

There should have been no cuts to ARENA at a time where the urgency of climate change is becoming clearer every day."

ARENA was established in 2012 and it has delivered $1 billion dollars to 250 renewable energy projects, including a total of $268.4 million for large-scale solar projects.

The Greens will introduce an amendment to protect the entire $1.3 billion of ARENA funding.

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon. Photo
courtesy of Facebook.

Federal Member for
Newcastle Sharon Claydon.
Photo courtesy of Facebook.