The job of a government is to make decisions for the public good, but they also have an obligation to take into consideration health results that may arise from those decisions.
The state government has given the nod to a 360 Megawatt gas fired power station to be located at Appin - in Sydney's south west. It is part of the dynamics of such plants that they will inevitably release particles that aggravate respiratory diseases - such as asthma.
Unfortunately Appin and it's surrounding area has an above average number of asthma sufferers with a survey by New South Wales health reporting a cluster of 2400 sufferers. The area was highlighted in a recent report which specifically recommended that care be taken not to add to asthma causing pollution because the prevailing afternoon winds tended to concentrate air particles from Sydney traffic, Sydney airport and the Port Botany shipping terminal to pool and be retained in this area of the Sydney basin.
Despite it's own report advising against locating a new power station in this area, the Planning minister, Kristina Kenneally used her power to grant approval - despite there being no consultation with resident groups - and with no avenue of appeal.
It seems that money rather than health is the motivating factor. This new power station will cost $ 200 million - and land at Appin is cheap in contrast to more suitable sites.
A similar new gas powered power station is being completed on the coast in Wollongong, where the always present sea breezes will disperse pollution particles safely. It would make sense to double it's capacity by building this new plant alongside - but land near the ocean is many times more expensive than in bucolic Appin.
The attitude seems to be keep costs down - and bad luck about the mugs who have to put up with poor health as a result !
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