Labor candidate for the Wyong Ward, Mr Kyle MacGregor, said the former Gosford Council’s alleged involvement in illegal dumping at Spencer and unregulated use of the Mangrove Mountain Landfill, had shown disregard for the health of its residents and the environment.
Mr MacGregor was commenting after the ABC 4 Corners story exposed illegal dumping at Spencer.
“I fully support an inquiry into the safety of our water catchment and the waste management practices of the previous Council,” Mr MacGregor said.
“A number of residents and community groups had brought the illegal dumping to Gosford Council’s attention and received no response,” he said.
“I am concerned that these revelations are just the tip of the iceberg in Council mismanagement and incompetence,’ he said.
“It is absolutely outrageous that Council allowed this to go on for decades without taking any action.
“It shows a total lack of disregard for the health and wellbeing of local residents and our natural environment.
“The Mangrove Mountain waste site was never approved for this volume of waste, today it is more than 10 times the amount initially approved.
“The site is unlined, or partially lined in parts, and produces approximately three million litres of toxic leachate which could leak into the groundwater and threaten the Coast’s drinking water catchment.
“Under the previous Liberal-dominated council, decisions took place behind closed doors and residents’ concerns were ignored.
We’ve seen it with the illegal dumping, we’ve seen it with the questions raised over Gosford Council’s missing trust accounts, and you have to wonder what other dodgy decisions have been swept under the rug?
“These revelations make it all the more important that people cast their vote carefully in the upcoming elections.
“We need Councillors who will fight for better accountability and transparency in council decisions, because we’ve seen what a Liberal and pseudo-independent controlled council does when they are left with the reins.”
Source:
Media release, Aug 14
Kyle MacGregor, Labor candidate for Wyong Ward