Dr TOYNE - 2001-02-21
Independent testing of water samples by the Australian Radiation Laboratory and the Australian Geological Survey Organisation has shown that residents at the remote community of Yuendumu are drinking water which contains excessive levels of radioactive uranium, boron, salt and dissolved solids. These substances are capable of causing cancer, gastrointestinal complaints, depression and other serious chronic conditions. Despite this evidence, PAWA continues to maintain that its water supply meets National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. I seek leave to table letters from PAWA and from the community in which these two opposing assertions are made.
Leave granted.
I ask the minister, therefore, what is he going to do to ensure that drinking water which meets NHMR guidelines is provided to the people of Yuendumu or do you want them all to glow in the dark?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the little glow in the dark riposte is the usual sort of panic button that the Labor Party wants to push. The Power and Water Authority constantly monitors table water and there are occasions, particularly with outstations, where we do not believe the water is of acceptable standard quality or quantity. In the case of Yuendumu, there is some investigation underway at the moment. We have engaged consultants, Arup Stokes, to investigate water availability and quantity, because we are talking about both here, and we are doing some laboratory testing of chemical and radiological quality of the water from the town’s production bores, the supply and the possible alternative bores.
There are some communities, and Pine Creek is one of them, where one particular bore may have high levels of undesirable elements in it. It is a matter of cocktailing that water with water from another bore that can bring that down to acceptable qualities. That is essentially what we are doing at Yuendumu. The results should be available to us soon, and we will make sure that we consult with the community about actions that we have to take to address issues relating to quality and quantity in that community. I can assure the honourable member that full consultation with the community will be undertaken to assess all of those options and we will continue to sample the water. We will continue to use the consultants available to us to make assessments and provide us with information.
Leave granted.
I ask the minister, therefore, what is he going to do to ensure that drinking water which meets NHMR guidelines is provided to the people of Yuendumu or do you want them all to glow in the dark?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the little glow in the dark riposte is the usual sort of panic button that the Labor Party wants to push. The Power and Water Authority constantly monitors table water and there are occasions, particularly with outstations, where we do not believe the water is of acceptable standard quality or quantity. In the case of Yuendumu, there is some investigation underway at the moment. We have engaged consultants, Arup Stokes, to investigate water availability and quantity, because we are talking about both here, and we are doing some laboratory testing of chemical and radiological quality of the water from the town’s production bores, the supply and the possible alternative bores.
There are some communities, and Pine Creek is one of them, where one particular bore may have high levels of undesirable elements in it. It is a matter of cocktailing that water with water from another bore that can bring that down to acceptable qualities. That is essentially what we are doing at Yuendumu. The results should be available to us soon, and we will make sure that we consult with the community about actions that we have to take to address issues relating to quality and quantity in that community. I can assure the honourable member that full consultation with the community will be undertaken to assess all of those options and we will continue to sample the water. We will continue to use the consultants available to us to make assessments and provide us with information.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016