Labor bungles RAH dirt
Feb 02, 2012
Martin Hamilton-Smith MP
Shadow Minister for Health & Ageing
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Substance Abuse
Labor bungles RAH dirt
New reports that Labor has mishandled contaminated soils at the rail yard site of the RAH must be openly investigated by the Public Works Committee.
“Reports that remediation work at the new RAH site has be halted as a result of contaminated soil mistaken for clean fill is of grave concern. These new revelations follow serious concerns raised on 22 December 2011 about fears for the safety of hospital workers resulting from ground water contamination underneath the construction site,” Shadow Minister for Health Martin Hamilton-Smith said.
“Apparently the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Hansen Yuncken and Leighton Contractors (HYLC) along with remediation subcontractors Resource Co. have acknowledged the incident.
“Further testing is underway. The full impact and cost to the taxpayer of the bungle must now be explained. Tender documents show the taxpayer may be up for 80 per cent of unforseen costs for remediation.
“How many tonnes of contaminated soil have left the site as clean fill and where has it been taken? Has it been delivered to suburban building sites?
“Has contaminated soil, misidentified as clean fill, been brought onto the site?
“In December it was revealed that it may be necessary to build an asphalt and plastic membrane beneath the entire site along with air vents to clear poisonous gasses.
“It has also been revealed that the original Independent Environmental Auditor, Mr Don McCarthy quit in May and that new Auditor Mr Richard Wolfe from Sinclair Knight Merz is now being paid by the private consortia in the role. Is the audit process truly independent?
“At around $3.2 billion to build and $12 billion in total payments from the health budget over the 30 year life of the project it is outrageous that Labor is pushing on without having sent the matter to Parliament’s PWC where bungles like this new soil contamination development could be examined in the open.
“Health Minister John Hill has given us a hospital we don’t need at the wrong place at the wrong time and at a cost we can’t afford. And he can’t even fix up the site correctly!” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.