Environment Minister's Disappointing Response to Air Quality Concerns

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Hunter residents are disappointed with NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton after being told she doesn't have time to visit the region regarding ongoing air quality concerns.

Residents were joined by more than 30 local doctors in petitioning Ms Upton to stay overnight near the region's coal fields, hoping she could gain better insight into the air quality crisis impacting Hunter communities.

The organisation behind the petition, Doctors For The Environment, has since received a brief email from the Environment Minister's office telling them Gabrielle Upton had a 'heavily committed schedule' and would not be able to visit the region.

Spokesperson John Van der Kallen has labelled the response 'bemusing' and says it's disappointing for the community.

"We didn't actually have a time frame on our request for her to come," said Dr Van der Kallen.

"So it's bemusing that she's going to be 'too busy' indefinitely, it seems, to come and see the situation herself."

A number of inititatives have been started in recent years to improve air quality in the Hunter Valley, including the government's Clean Air for NSW plan, but Dr Van der Kallen says these processes have stalled since submissions were closed.

"The Environmental Protection Agency has been trying, and recently they've been doing more monitoring, but they're not really being given the tools so that they can actually act on these things appropriately," said Dr Van der Kallen.

He says Gabrielle Upton's response is disrespectful to the community, which has suffered air quality issues for a number of years now.

"It'd be good if those in Sydney could understand the situation a bit more so that we could get some changes happening."

Air Quality Concerns are a Major Issue in the Hunter. Image: The Herald

NSW Environment Minister Meets With PFAS Affected Residents At Williamtown.

BY IAN CROUCH

The Defence Department will hold the first of several public meetings today to update residents on the investigation into the Williamtown RAAF Base contamination saga.

It comes more than two years after news of the scandal broke.

The state government last month supported a motion from Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington to pressure the Prime Minister to find solutions for residents living in the red zone.

NSW Environment Minister, Gabrielle Upton met with six residents behind closed doors yesterday to hear how the state government can further assist them, with particular emphasis on connection to town water.

"It was a good meeting, a practically helpful meeting and I will welcome further meetings with the residents groups into the future," she said.

NSW Environment Minister, Gabrielle Upton

However, Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington believes the meeting should've been open to the public.

"At long last she is meeting with some community members in Newcastle, but I know that the community would have preferred a public meeting," she said.

Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington

Gabrielle Upton has defended the decision not to hold a public meeting saying she was concerned to hear genuinely from the residents out of the the glare of publicity.