[Greens-Media] Delayed Hunter Health report: Greens use parliament to call for release

[Susie Gemmell]

Media Release
19 May 2010

Delayed Hunter Health report: Greens use parliament to call for release


Greens MP and Hunter spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has put a motion to NSW Parliament yesterday calling for the release of the now delayed NSW Health report examining existing health data about Hunter residents. The report, now over three weeks late, was promised by the Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt following community calls for a population wide health study into the possible links between the region's coal and power industries (motion below).

"Health professionals and community groups asked for a comprehensive population health study but instead got a review of existing health data. Now the government can't even produce that on time," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The delay in releasing this report suggests to the community that the government promised the review to hose down public outcry rather than seriously address concerns.

"The Hunter community has spent years shouldering the health burden of the coal mining and power industries. While the government's response to concerns has been inadequate, the very least it can do is release data when promised," Ms Rhiannon said.

Lee Rhiannon's motion

1.	That this House notes that:

(a)	health professionals and community groups in the Hunter region are seeking a comprehensive population health study to investigate the possible links between the region's coal mines and power plants and poor health outcomes in the area,

(b)	on 12 April 2010 a representative of NSW Health said it would publicly release, within a fortnight, a report on all available routinely collected health information about the people cared for by the Hunter New England Area Health Service, including residents of the Hunter Valley who may be exposed to air pollution from coal mining activities or power station emissions,

(c)	the report is to contain information about respiratory diseases, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and deaths and cancer incidence and deaths for the Hunter New England Area Health region, by sub-regions, and

(d)	the Hunter health report is now more than three weeks late.

That this House calls on the Government to release the report on routinely collected Hunter region
health data promised at the latest by 27 April 2010 but now overdue.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568


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Susie Gemmell
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (Mon-Thur)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0431 458 102
Email susie.gemmell at parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.leerhiannon.org.au
http://www.democracy4sale.org/ 
http://twitter.com/leerhiannon