The Rhodes Peninsula Group has called for moratorium on all letting of contracts and works on the former Allied Feeds and Union Carbide sites and Homebush Bay sediments until the promised Community Reference Group is formed and operational and all residents' concerns are adequately dealt with and a moratorium on all construction on the Australand, Walker/Orica, Union Carbide and Allied Feeds sites until adequate infrastructure in the local area is committed to in writing by the State Government.

Background to Call for Moratorium.
RPG understands that the process to be used at Rhodes has failed to successfully treat some contaminants at the Olympic site to the standards required by the NSW EPA, undermining the credibility of the proposed remediation at Rhodes.

An article in the Northern District Times has informed local communities that the Government (Waterways and Public Works) have resiled from their commitment to the formation of a Community Reference Group similar to the HOMBERG group which existed for the Olympic remediation. The Government has therefore actively misled residents of Rhodes, Concord West, Liberty Grove, Meadowbank and West Ryde in public meetings held earlier this year.

The residents of these suburbs have serious concerns about a number of aspects of the remediation, development and lack of appropriate infrastructure including:
1. Dust control during remediation (and construction)- Thiess have a bad record with residents of Melrose Park and Mortlake.
2. Protection of human, bird and aquatic life using the Parramatta River - The Newington and Bicentennial Park wetlands and the local sea scouts, sailors and other recreational users of the river must be protected. The wetlands have protected, threatened and JAMBA/CAMBA species.
3. Prevention of dioxins entering fish and prawns caught and eaten commercially or by recreational fishers.
4. The consistently incompetent or unbelievable transport studies, the last of which proposes a 13 minute wait to get through the Homebush Bay/Concord Road intersection for Northbound peak traffic by the time the development is finished. Roseberry to Martin Place will be 12 minutes in AM peak.
5. Gross overdevelopment leading to strain on community facilities - both the former Concord and current Canada Bay Councils have condemned the proposed development.
6. Proposed remediation not meeting WHO and USA EPA standards.

The Inner West Greens have also called for a moratorium.

Background to Rhodes Peninsula Group
The Rhodes Peninsula Group (RPG) was established in March 1999 at the suggestion of our local State MP, Mr John Murray, after a public meeting attended by over 200 local residents who expressed concern over this development.

For further information: http://drive.to/rhodes or Paul Hanly 9736 2419



for and on behalf of the Rhodes Peninsula Group