Dr Petersen announces candidacy for Senate; Court rules Transpacific can continue toxic dumping;
Dr Petersen to Introduce Federal Environmental Law to Protect Residents
Dr Patricia Petersen, Leader of the Australian Independents, has confirmed that she is the Lead Senate candidate for Queensland for the next federal election.
Dr Petersen said that she was honored to have secured the top spot and would work hard to ensure Queenslander’s interests are genuinely represented in parliament.
“The Australian Independents stands for integrity, accountability and true representation. I’m proud to be a Senate candidate for a party that has outlawed personal attacks, promotes positive policies and genuinely aims to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.
“We are the only party that has a detailed plan to end homelessness, ensure that 2.2 million Australians are lifted above the poverty line, address serious issues such as toxic waste and CSG mining and provide a real solution to the asylum seeker problem,” said Dr Petersen.
Dr Petersen said that if elected, she would fight for federal environmental law which would see toxic landfills across the country banned from being placed close to resident’s homes, schools and playgrounds.
Dr Petersen has been an outspoken opponent of the Transpacific landfill at New Chum.
“Over a decade ago, Ipswich City Council and the state government granted permission for Transpacific to dump unlimited amounts of toxic waste, including DDT, arsenic, cyanide and asbestos close to resident’s homes. The Planning and Environment Court this week ruled that Transpacific is entitled to continue to dump unlimited amounts of harmful and toxic waste materials and chemicals at its New Chum site. It’s now up to the federal government to step in and address this issue. Federal environmental law eclipses state law,” she said.
“I asked Mr Burke two months ago to protect Ipswich residents. He said that his hands were tied because there wasn’t any environmental law which could be acted on to protect the community. I then asked Mr Burke to introduce federal legislation which would force the relocation of the toxic dump at New Chum. It appears as though this isn’t going to happen, so I need to make it happen,” said Dr Petersen.
“I will be fighting for federal environmental law which will force the relocation of the toxic landfill at New Chum. The legislation will also have the potential to see the relocation and or closure of all harmful landfills peppered across the country, that have been placed very close to resident’s homes, playgrounds and schools,” she said.
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