Thursday, August 9

Media Release: Ipswich Residents to Take Class Action over Toxic Dump

MEDIA RELEASE – 6/8/11
IPSWICH RESIDENTS TAKE CLASS ACTION OVER TOXIC DUMP
Ipswich residents angry over Ipswich City Council’s, state and federal government’s refusal to close down the largest toxic landfill in the Southern Hemisphere, at New Chum, will meet this Saturday to discuss class action.

Dr Patricia Petersen, from the Australian Independents, who is organising the meeting, said that local...

residents are outraged that the toxic dump hasn’t been relocated.
“Community members are filled with rage because of the way that they have been treated; they feel like they are being pathologically, brutally, callously neglected,” she said.
“Ipswich people have a right to be compensated for property devaluation and for health ailments, symptoms and illnesses caused by the massive toxic waste dump.”

“Many residents, particularly those living within 1 km of the toxic landfill in New Chum, are complaining of stinging eyes, rashes, uncontrollable coughing, watery eyes, breathing difficulties, asthma, coughing up blood. People are sick, very sick,” she said.

Dr Petersen said that people attending Saturday’s meeting will be asked to fill out a questionnaire so that Shine lawyers assisting the group can get an accurate picture of symptoms and illnesses.

“We need to know, the lawyers need to know, exactly what we are dealing with. We need to know what symptoms and illnesses residents are suffering from. Importantly, we need to know whether there is a cancer cluster in the Ipswich suburbs surrounding one of the largest toxic dumps in the world,” she said.
“The Ipswich community has done everything in its power to have the New Chum toxic dump closed down, yet no one has listened. Legal action is the last resort,” said Dr Petersen.
Dr Petersen said that she would also provide residents with information about the CSG inlet stations, CSG mining and soon-to-be built gas-fired power station in Ipswich.

“Community members need to know what is happening around and to them. No level of government is telling them. Residents are deliberately being left in the dark. CSG mining is and the gas-fired power station will negatively impact on their health – they have a right to know this.”
 
Toxic Tours Ipswich

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