by Patrick & Ellen Nugent

MELBOURNE: Citizens from the Western Suburbs met at a public meeting in mid-August to oppose the new Workcover report saying that Coode Island is now safe. This decision has obviously shocked and outraged people from the west, it should outrage all from metro Melbourne .

Two councils, the City of Maribyrnong and City of Port Phillip have joined forces to tackle the issue of the removal of Coode Island .

Peter Marshall, Secretary of the United Firefighters, made some alarming points. The state has 300 less firefighters due to Kennett cutbacks to the emergency fire workers since 1991. These cuts were made after the memorable accident in August 1991, in his opinion there simply isn't enough firefighters to contain and control another Coode island disaster. Several Fire fighters who fought the Coode Island fire have since contracted cancers, whether there is a connection no one knows.

Peter Marshall also drew concern to Legislation going through state parliament to introduce 'Industry Brigades', which he can only see leading to cover ups and unsafe work practices. He pointed to an incident where a toxic accident was cleaned up by non Fire Fighters, with no respirators and wearing shorts and tee shirts. How those blokes are now doesn't bear thinking about.

City Link construction is another concern raised by speakers, as City Link planners were under the impression that Coode Island would not exist in its current position. Trucks carrying hazardous materials will be unable to use key parts of City Link, due to safety risks in the confined tunnels .Instead these hazardous trucks will be redirected onto residential roads through inner Melbourne.

A recurring theme during discussion was the ignoring of the West Point Wilson site as an option. The site has long been preferred by HAZMAG (Hazardous Materials Action Group). Environment Victoria, The Australian Conservation Foundation, Green Peace and Friends of the Earth. But the site became out of the running when it was given over to the then Federal Labor government as the site to relocate an armaments facility.(which is now situated inside Sydney harbour).

Ralph Willis, former federal Labor Treasurer (speaking from the audience) announced that as part of the then cabinet, he took part in the decision to shift the armaments facility to Point Wilson and the Coode to Point Lillias. At that time Cabinet was unaware of the environmental concerns of Point Lillias.(It was made clear that the above environmental groups knew of the sensitivity and had passed on their concerns to the relevant Government Departments). If he Knew then, what he knows now, he suggested Cabinet would have looked at the option of Gladstone in Queensland or Point Wilson housing both Coode and the armaments facility.- but alas Ralph, that's all water under the Westgate now, isn't it?

On June 24th the State Government decided against relocating Coode Island and believes that 'Terminals', the operators of Coode Island, spending eighteen million dollars on upgrading the facility meets world best practise.

However Peter Brotherton, from the Coode Island review panel estimates amounts of $150 - 200 million dollars to bring the facility to this level, this would include the purchase of 240 houses in Footscray and Yarraville to meet buffer distance requirements. Currently Coode Island is only 500 metres to the closest population area.

The State Government has not yet responded to City of Maribyrnong Coode Island Task Force Group or given any explanation to the change in decision, surely this Government needs to show a duty of care to the citizens of Melbourne and should be accountable for the betrayal that was made on an election commitment.