[Greens-Media] South-West Sydney chokes on power station developer's donations

[John Kaye]

South-West Sydney chokes on power station developer's donations  
 
Media release: 11 August 2009
 
The Rees government has approved a gas-fired power station that threatens the air quality of South Western Sydney. The applicant, AGL, has donated $38,350 to the NSW Labor party over the past five years, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "Planning Minister Kristina Keneally has granted consent to a 360 megawatt power station at Leafs Gully, near Appin in Sydney's South West. It will pump out smog-forming oxides of nitrogen. 
 
"The Minister has sidelined concerns about the impact that oxides of nitrogen would have on increasing photochemical smog formation in the Camden Valley.
 
"She has ignored the risk that this development will result in increased respiratory disease throughout the Sydney Basin.  
 
"The developer AGL is a substantial donor to the NSW Labor Party.
 
"Important decisions that can compromise the health of young people in the Sydney Basin should not be made under the cloud of donations from a developer. 
 
"The power station flies in the face of the stated policy objectives of the NSW government's Action For Air strategy.
 
"The public has a right to be confident that developer donations are not compromising important decisions that affect their health.
 
"The Minister has left open the possibility of doubling the size of the station in three years time. 
 
"The NSW government must immediately re-open the air quality monitoring stations in South Western Sydney closed in 2004 and 2005.
 
"The Minister approved this massive source of oxides of nitrogen without the ability to independently measure its on-going impacts on air quality throughout the Camden Valley," Dr Kaye said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000