Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

ROCHESTER RESIDENTS NEED MINISTER THWAITES TO DO HIS JOB

News Release - Monday, 2nd April 2001

Shadow Minister for Planning, Robert Clark today called on the Planning Minister, John Thwaites, to show some initiative in order to resolve the concerns of Rochester residents over Powercor’s plans to site a substation close to a residential area in Pascoe Street.

The land was originally zoned Public Purpose but after a transcription error in the Shire of Campaspe’s planning scheme process in 1998 the land was listed as a Public Conservation and Resource Zone.

The shire has now requested the appointment of an independent panel to consider its C15 amendment to rezone the land to low density residential, which would allow Powercor to go ahead with the substation.

Rochester residents built their homes in good faith in the belief that they were living near a public conservation area and are now faced with increased noise levels, falling property values and have concerns over health issues.

Residents also say that recent studies into the effect of EMF radiation, including the latest report released by eminent British scientist, Sir Richard Doll, are inconclusive on the links to childhood leukaemia and increased cancer rates but have not ruled them out.

Shadow Minister for Planning, Robert Clark, said that for the Minister simply to appoint a panel to consider the proposed planning scheme amendment was not enough.

“A planning panel will consider this proposal purely in terms of planning.

“However, this issue does not just involve planning. It involves concerns about health, and about decisions people have made in good faith to buy homes and bring up families in the area – decisions people may well not have made had they known a substation was to be built in their street.

“Surely, the common sense outcome is that the substation should not now be built where it was proposed, but that the Shire, Powercor and the Government should make arrangements for the substation to be relocated to an alternative site on terms that are fair to all.

“Mr Thwaites and his colleague Local Government Minister Bob Cameron should be proactive in calling together the Shire and Powercor to try to reach a negotiated solution for an alternative location for the substation.

“If the Minister refuses to get actively involved, the formal planning processes will not necessarily provide an acceptable result and may simply lead to further disputes, protests and possibly court cases.

“Mr Thwaites should show some leadership and try to bring about a solution. If he hides behind formal planning processes, he will be failing in his duty to Rochester residents.”