BY GAIL LORD
SYDNEY The ADI Residents Action Group (RAG) was disappointed, but not surprised, by the June 16 NSW government approval of the development of the old defence site at St Marys. Nearly 2000 homes will be built on 130 hectares of the natural-bushland site.
The Australian Defence Industries site is bounded by the suburbs of St Marys, Werrington Downs, Willmot, Llandilo and Cranebrook. It will be developed by the federal government's ComLand and Delfin Lend Lease, with the blessing of the state ALP government.
The Australian Heritage Commission listed 800 hectares of the site in 1999 because of its Aboriginal archeological and social significance, the presence of uncommon flora and rare Cumberland woodland. There are 110 bird species, along with nine mammal, 10 reptile and eight frog species and more than 40 species of jewel beetles. The fence around the site protects the last free-roaming eastern grey kangaroos and emus in the Sydney basin.
The development will remove the fence, and also involve the dumping of two million tonnes of fill into the South Creek flood plain.
Despite Premier Bob Carr's claim that the development is needed because immigration is causing a housing shortage, Penrith City Council has stated several times that alternative housing sites are available in the local area.
Developer Delfin Lend Lease has donated more than $250,000 dollars to the NSW ALP.
"Western Sydney is being given second-class treatment by both the Carr and Howard governments with today's decision which rips off the heritage of Western Sydney people and the environment", RAG convenor Hugh Todd told the June 18 Penrith Press.
Although a regional park is planned on the old site, it will be broken into small parcels of land interspersed with houses.
The community is also concerned that toxins stored on the site (radioactive waste, lead, mercury, arsenic, asbestos and TNT) have not been effectively cleaned off. People who used to work at ADI have argued that there may still be toxins buried there.
Local resident Brent Robertson, who was the Greens candidate for the seat of Mt Druitt in the recent state election, is concerned about fragmented metal that he has glimpsed on the site after the clean-up. He also questions why Penrith and Blacktown councils have been given a 50-year indemnity from prosecution from injury arising from the site. Local activist Colin Gale also claims that explosive propellant cordite is still on the site.
From Green Left Weekly, July 2, 2003.
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