Port Pirie Smelting Facility (Lead-In-Air Concentrations) Bill
17/10/2013
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I speak today briefly in support of the second reading of this bill on behalf of Dignity for Disability; however, I do have some questions about some of the health and disability related issues this raises and would like to put them on the record here with the hope of some answers further down the track—and, hopefully, not too far.
Firstly, I would like to thank minister Kenyon’s adviser, Corey Harriss, for arranging a comprehensive briefing for my office from the three different departments—from the EPA’s Rob Thomas; the acting Solicitor-General, Gaby Jaksa; and Peter Bagshaw and his colleague of the Olympic Dam Taskforce. We appreciate that briefing. I will not rehash some of the issues already raised by colleagues in this place but, as I say, I do have some very serious concerns relating to health and disability issues for the children, given their heightened vulnerability.
As I am sure every member in this place knows, this is no easy issue. The town of Port Pirie is very much reliant on the Nyrstar facility for jobs and its economic viability. I understand that this industry provides some 850 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect jobs. It is good to hear that this project, through implementation of world best technology, will improve the air quality for the community, particularly as it pertains to lead and sulfur dioxide that are known to have a serious effect on health, particularly in children.
I would like to ask some questions of the government’s health and disability departments about the rate of health conditions and disabilities in Port Pirie, especially in children, and the comparison rate to the rest of the South Australian community, including the following:
1. What is the diagnosed rate of children on the autism spectrum or with intellectual or other developmental disabilities in Port Pirie?
2. What is the rate of asthma in the child and adult population in Port Pirie?
3. What is the hospitalisation rate of children and adults in Port Pirie with respiratory distress caused by asthma and other respiratory conditions?
4. What is the anticipated reduction in these health conditions and disabilities as the enclosure of the Nyrstar facility occurs?
5. How many social workers and other allied health workers are employed in the government’s environmental health office in Port Pirie?
I would also like to know, given the news article by Sarah Martin that appeared in The Weekend Australian, what liability the government might feel it could be subject to if a class action were launched by families in Port Pirie in relation to lead in the blood levels of their children. I would also like to put on the record at this stage that I am very interested in the amendments the Hon. Mr Parnell has already tabled in relation to this bill.
