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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 10 Hansard (12 October) . . Page.. 2929 ..
Mr Hird: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order. Sit down, Mr Hird.
Mr Hird: Stop him interjecting.
MR SPEAKER: Both sides of the house should stop interjecting. You will have your opportunities to speak when the time comes.
MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, that is odd, because most of these public servants are probably the ones who advised Mr Wood in his handling of the arsenic issue and the contaminated sites. Mr Speaker, I have confirmation of the advice that was given to me by the department, and I will read it into Hansard:
Purpose
To clarify previous advice on the sampling of contaminated metal floc at the West Belconnen landfill.Background/Issues
On 24 September 1999 your office was advised that results of testing "one load" of metal floc at the landfill had returned results that were positive with high levels of lead contamination. Furthermore, it was advised that this load was identifiable in that it included quantities of steel cable -that sounds very similar to what Ms Tucker said -
The advice that only one load was in question and being tested was based on reports from field staff at the landfill that John Clyde, CFMEU had taken a sample from a load of metal floc for testing and the results from only one sample were returned.
As it has transpired, it appears that the "one load" was a series of loads of similar material. The loads in question included large quantities of steel cable, material distinctly different to the floc normally delivered, and were dumped together in the one location. This discrepancy in the number of loads involved has only been drawn to my attention today. Photos of the "wire" floc and "normal" floc are attached.
At the time my concern was focused on the material that was obviously different to the floc previously delivered. Wire cable is not normally associated with the recycling of car bodies and white goods and I was of the opinion that any contamination was most likely confined to this load(s).
Subsequent testing was undertaken of the loads containing the wire as well as including samples from other heaps, representative of the material stockpiled at the site.
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