Last week marked the two-year milestone since Ipswich City Council called for a health risk inquiry into foul smells coming from the New Chum landfill.
Yet, as the smell and its impact continue, so do the ongoing arguments among all three sides involved – the residents, the politicians and the company.
State Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum said his was the only level of government that had been productive on the issue.
However, Stop The Stink spokesperson Tracey Butler challenged that statement, calling local politicians “media tarts” and claiming they had done nothing but shake hands and make unfulfilled promises.
Ms Butler believes inaction surrounding the issue comes from an “It’s not in my backyard,” attitude.
“They (the operators) are getting away with blue murder and this government is letting them do so because it’s Ipswich, it’s not their kids breathing this,” she said.
But Mr McCallum acknowledged the impacts on the community.
“Too many local families and households have suffered the environmental impacts of a few waste operators, and composters who have burnt their social licence.”
He said that with the Members for Jordan and Ipswich, their advocacy had achieved enhanced compliance and legal activity against operators by the environmental regulator and some of the most significant improvements in environmental laws in decades.
Mr McCallum added that strong new laws were currently before the Queensland Parliament.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding conceded that at the two-year mark, there had been no real change.
“The smell remains and continues to strengthen, the health of residents and their pets continues to be impacted, with no health inquiry in sight,” she said.
Cr Harding said although she had called for the health inquiry two years ago “unfortunately Queensland Health does not believe there is a need for one, which they have stated publicly.”
Various Green Party members, including Member for Maiwar Michael Berkman and Ipswich Lockyer Valley members have supported the ICC for the health inquiry.
Ipswich Green party spokesperson Ms Mutton emphasised the health impact on residents and urgency required to deal with the situation.
“It’s cruel and callous for the Queensland Government to continue to ignore the suffering of residents, who have experienced years of adverse health effects and are regularly confined to their homes due to deliberate non-compliance of the waste industry.”
A State Election is fast approaching, now less than five months away, and Local Ipswich News requested comment from the Opposition, with State Member for Ipswich West Darren Zanow issuing a response.
“Tens of thousands of complaints have been made by locals about the smell, but Labor has thumbed their nose at them,” he said.
“The Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government set up the Odour Abatement Taskforce or the “odour busters” to deal with the issue half a decade ago but residents are still living through it.
WHO SAID WHAT:
Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum
“The Government is determined to ensure the independent environmental regulation has the tools it needs to address the odour issues impacting our community.
Member for Ipswich West Darren Zanow
“The Palaszczuk-Miles Labor Government set up the Odour Abatement Taskforce or the “odour busters” to deal with the issue half a decade ago but residents are still living through it.”
Ipswich Greens’ Danielle Mutton
“We publicly backed Ipswich City Council’s request for the Queensland Government to declare an Environmental Health Event and establish a health inquiry.”
Stop The Stink’s Tracey Butler
“Three wise monkeys (the three local State MPs) bury their heads in Brisbane problems and only worried about the next election in October.”
