THERE ARE unanswered questions after the announcement of a health inquiry into odours from the Swanbank industrial site if there is a change of government on Saturday.
The commitment from the Liberal National Party is something residents have been calling for after years of inaction at a state level, with such a health inquiry repeatedly blocked.
However, whatever transpires post-election, nothing will remove the scars or impact on health of residents such as Michelle Filippi.
Michelle knows the odours’ impact on residents more than most, saying she has been a prisoner in her own home and forced to take injections four times a month due to the effect on her health.
She has stood shoulder to shoulder with other community groups and advocates and the LNP announcement could be one step closer to vindication, but questions remain.
“I’m apolitical and have worked alongside (as a community advocate) both ALP and LNP on the odour issues,” she said.
“The people are the only ones who don’t disappear and work on these issues continuously – all the political parties still all have a lot to prove in my honest opinion.
“So far Labor have been missing in action for most of the 20 years the odours have been an issue. It seems the only reason they are starting to do something in the last six months is because of the pressure from the community and they want to be re-elected.
“Hundreds of emails have been sent and many calls to Minister Leanne Linard, but she has done the bare minimum and we expect a lot better from her and this government.
“We all live in Ipswich, but we also matter just as much as the Brisbane people.”
Spokesperson for Stop the Stink and passionate local advocate against these odours, Tracey Butler, told Local Ipswich News that she agreed there had to be substance to the LNP commitment.
“The unknown is very scary; and we need to know if we are in danger from these odours,” she said.
“We just need to make sure all is in writing and that they won’t go back on their word.
“We need to have people including children that have moved away followed up on – in case cancer and other health issues come on five or ten years down the track caused by odours.
“There needs to be a rule of no liquid waste going to any of the facilities full stop and they need to close all sites down until they’re fully enclosed.”
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the LNP announcement was welcomed by the council.
“In May 2022, Ipswich City Council unanimously endorsed a Mayoral Minute requesting an urgent public health enquiry of Queensland Health and former Health Minister Yvette D’Ath,” she said.
“This request was declined by Queensland Health, as were my follow-up requests to current Health Minister Shannon Fentiman and the chief health officer, Dr John Gerrard.”
LNP candidate for Bundamba Carl Mutzelburg said the local community had suffered for too long.
