[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Pesticides in Tasmanian Groundwater Alarm_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

GOVERNMENT CALLED ON PESTICIDES IN GROUNDWATER
 
But Llewellyn Sticks His Fingers in His Ears

Tim Morris MP
Greens Water spokesperson

Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today pursued in State parliament the Bartlett
Government by demanding to know what level of contamination in the
Tasmanian rivers and groundwater it will take before Labor will act to
ban the Triazine group of chemicals and, when a Chemical Trespass
regulation system will be introduced to protect Tasmanians from exposure
to such dangerous substances.

Greens Water spokesperson Tim Morris MP pledged to raise the chronic
chemical contamination of the State's waterways whenever new results are
released that demonstrate that the Bartlett Government is not concerned
about protecting either the health of Tasmanians nor the value of our
clean and green brand which is being allowed to be seriously undermined.

 "If there was even a shred of honesty in Water Minister David Llewellyn
he would at least tell the community at what level of contamination he
will finally take action. Currently the Minister merely repeats that he
would prefer there was no contamination by pesticides whilst at the same
time sticking his fingers in his ears about the damage currently being
done to our people and our clean, green reputation from continual
pesticides and herbicide contamination of our waterways," Mr Morris
said.

"The new groundwater testing results demonstrate that bore water seems
to be contaminated at about the same levels and at a similar frequency
to the surface waters, an alarming situation which clearly demonstrates
that the Labor Government's regulatory regime is a total failure and
urgently needs a major overhaul to protect Tasmanians and our valuable
Brand."


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Text of Motion Tabled by Tim Morris MP

That this House notes with alarm the results from the first round of
groundwater testing which involved the testing of 58 bores in various
locations around Tasmania that were tested for a similar, but
undisclosed range of pesticides and herbicides that are tested for in
the Baseline Monitoring Program;

 

Further, that whilst the House supports this sampling program, it is
alarmed at the results which show: 

1) Atrazine levels at 1.52 parts per billion from Port Arthur,

2) Atrazine levels at 1.2 parts per billion, Desethyl- Atrazine at
1.31parts per billion and Hexazinone at 0.15 parts per billion  from
Ross,

3) 2,4 D, at 0.28 parts per billion from Parkham in the Rubicon
catchment, 

4) MCPA at 0.2 parts per billion from Togari, and also that,

5) Bisphenol A was found at Calder, Hampshire, Huonville, Jetsonville,
Lower Snug, Mooreville Road, Port Arthur, Ross, Parkham, Togari,
Trowutta and Waterhouse; and

 

Calls upon the Government to disclose to the House what it will take
before this Government will stop ignoring the problem of serious and
widespread contamination of surface and groundwater by pesticides and
herbicides, and ban the triazine group of chemicals and bring in
workable regulations that will curtail this chronic contamination. 





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