Synopsis
Specific Findings
The aerial spraying (using helicopters) of plantation timbers appears to be responsible for large-scale losses of commercial oyster following heavy rainfall events. The normal environmental protection methods do not appear to be in place and no policing of the State’s own Forestry Code of Practice appears to be occurring. More disturbingly, the problems associated with oysters also correlate with tumours and mortality in Tasmanian Devils. Further there appears to be a risk to human health as contamination of local drinking water supplies is also possible.
Thus, there is an ongoing economic impact on the St Helen’s Marine Farmers, that they cannot sustain. There is an ongoing environmental impact on both marine and terrestrial organisms, and there is a possible impact on the local human community.
The practice of aerial spraying was identified as hazardous by a Federal House of Representatives Committee in 1982. It was further identified as hazardous, particularly when using helicopters, by a Federal Senate Committee in 1990. The Senate Committee noted that no notice appeared to have been taken of the previous findings. The 1990 Senate Committee recommended that if their recommendations were not adopted in full then the practice should be phased out or banned.
It appears that no notice was taken of their recommendations either. It is therefore suggested that the Senate Committee’s alternative recommendation should be adopted in accordance with the precautionary principle. That is, that aerial spraying of Tasmanian plantations cease immediately until a thorough investigation can be conducted.
General Findings
The Tasmanian issue appears to be a symptom of a general breakdown in environmental protection and human health protection processes at every level of government. The practices that appear to be causing the problems should have been addressed at a Federal level in 1982 and were again identified in 1990. The failure to implement the Senate Committee’s findings and the subsequent failure to implement the State Governments own code of practice has allowed the continuation of a practice that was clearly identified as hazardous in 1982.
etc, etc
The full link ...
http://www.tfic.com.au/scammell_report_07.04.htm
Information gathered by:
St Helen’s Marine Farmers;
Dr Alison Bleaney (Area Medical Officer);
Dr Marcus Scammell (Marine Ecologist)
AND,
The Percival report,
http://www.tfic.com.au/percival_report_04.htm
The Mercury report
No Advocate report posted
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Friday, July 16, 2004