New South Wales Environment Minister Robyn Parker has been accused of putting politics ahead of people by waiting nearly 24 hours to let residents of the Newcastle suburb of Stockton know they’d been in the firing line of a chemical leak.
A leaked email from the Office of Environment and Heritage has revealed Ms Parker was told of the chemical leak and the potential health risk at 4.23pm last Wednesday. The communication was through an alert sent to her office. The opposition claims she immediately told her Liberal colleague and Member for Newcastle Tim Owen, rather than address the issue with the people of Stockton.
New South Wales Opposition Leader John Robertson is stepping up calls for Premier Barry O’Farrell to stand Ms Parker down.
“The minister knew for at least 24 hour of the serious nature of this leak, and the potential threat to the residents of Stockton,”
Mr Robertson told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“Instead of advising those residents, this minister chose to phone her Liberal Party mate, the member for Newcastle Tim Owen,
both of whom sat on that information for at least 24 hours.
“We’ve got a minister that has put politics ahead of people, and could have potentially jeopardised the well being of the residents
of Stockton.”
The alert explains that Orica had not contacted the HAZMAT unit, or issued a press release. It goes on to say that ” it is understood Orica has started door knocking in the affected area.”
The alert to Robyn Parker’s office ends with the line, “OEH is not aware of any media regarding the incident, however media interest is likely.”
Ms Parker wasn’t at a meeting attended by around 200 Stockton residents, organised by Orica last night. Her office says Ms Parker was not invited.
Angry residents clashed with Orica officials who apologised for the chemical leak. Orica General Manager James Bonner told those gathered that “our response to communicating with the community was inadequate, that’s something we clearly need to work on.
Member for Newcastle Tim Owen who did turn up to the meeting, has rubbished claims that he, like Ms Parker sat on the information.
“I was advised late on Wednesday night, and immediately went first thing Thursday morning to seek a briefing.”
Mr O’Farrell is standing by his Evironment Minister. Earlier this week Mr O’Farrell announced an independent inquiry into the chemical leak and the way it was handled by Orica and the government.
The inquiry’s been labelled a cover-up by the Opposition, because it won’t hold public hearings and investigate how Ms Parker handled the situation.
Robyn Parker should be left alone from John Robbo’s bullying so she can investigate & do the right thing to get this unmonitored industrial mess sorted. Satisfying hypocritical Labor by having her head on a plate will do nothing to benefit community health long term. After all its Labor who approved the licence, regulation & systems that we inherited which got us in this mess.