23 March 2010
Independent candidate for Upper Hunter Tim Duddy today announced a private funding arrangement that will kick-start a health study for the Upper Hunter to investigate the potential health impacts of local coal mining.
Mr Duddy said, "It is a pleasure to have been involved in bringing Beyond Zero Emissions, the University of Sydney and the Singleton Healthy Environment Group together to kick start this project.
"Today I announce that funding has been secured for the first phase of a coal health study. Climate and Energy think tank, Beyond Zero Emissions arranged the funding for the development of the terms of reference and a literature review to support the full study.
Dr John Drinan from the Singleton Healthy Environment Group said, "This is a most welcome announcement. International research and the investigations underway by NSW Health have shown that residents of the Hunter have good reason to believe their health is being affected by living with coal mining and coal-fired power generation.
"This studywill bring everyone up to date with the latest and best information from Australia and around the world. That will boost the drive for adoption of world's best practice by mines and power generators so that residents and workers are protected from the airborne pollution they are now suffering", Dr Drinan said.
Ms Ruth Colagiuri, Associate Professor at the Menzies Centre for Health Policy at the University of Sydney said, "For generations we have associated massive health harms such as debilitating and sometime deadly lung disease with mining. Recent health studies are now illustrating a strong association between particulate air pollution and other common chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes," Ms Colagiuri said.
Mr Duddy has called on the next government to get on board with supporting a full study, saying, "whoever is in government next week needs to commit to supporting a full study and contribute to the next phase of this project which is the detailed investigation. If health risks are identified immediate steps need to be taken to improve industry practice and keep this community safe.
"It is not acceptable that government allows the health of children and workers to be put at risk because they refuse to do the work to assess the risks.
"Regardless of the result, I look forward to working with the groups involved in the study," Mr Duddy said.
Media contacts:
Tim Duddy on 0427 106 267
Dr John Drinan on (02) 6577 6156
Ruth Colagiuri on (02) 9036 6562
