Wreck Bay's troubled heritage to Nowra's hopeful future
Catch up on Col Hesse's Dec 5 Triple U FM interviews
Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe discusses the shocking findings of the Senate Inquiry into the extent, regulation and management of PFAS, with particular emphasis on the inquiry's disappointing recommendations about the Wreck Bay community.
"That very chemical company (3M) was walking the halls of parliament. So they were alerted to the fact that this was happening, and they started talking to people very quickly, very early, to water down the real effects of all of these PFAS chemicals and how it's literally poisoning our planet."
"It shouldn't be up to taxpayers in this country to pay for the poison that these companies made in another country, and disseminated here without warning, that causes havoc on so many people's lives and the environment."
"There was a doctor who called Wreck Bay a cancer cluster... Anyone who goes in the water needs to understand that there may be risks."
Alison Henry and Crystal Brandon from the Shoalhaven Business Chamber discuss the launch of NOWRA.ORG.AU, to revitalise the Nowra CBD, the Christmas display competition, CCTV upgrades, a celebration of life at Nowra Players to honour Deb Szota and your invitation to the Business Chamber Chrissy Party.
"We're not a tourist town; we are building a better community for the people that live here. A place isn't a place until people make it a place. Community all together collaborating is super powerful, and I just don't think it's being done. The first step in this whole program is getting 100 businesses to sign up."
Count how many local business plugs these two firecrackers can fit seamlessly into a conversation. But there's one shop they celebrate closing.
NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann discusses recent changes to poker machine regulation and whether they represent real changes to the pokie gambling addiction.
"The fine print still allow venues to apply for exemptions, which I just cannot fathom frankly than any venue in this state now, with people losing more than a million dollars every hour - almost up to nine billion dollars in this financial year that people will lose to pokies in this state - the Minns government does this big announcement to make it look like it's doing something good, but scratch below the surface."
"We are also addicted at a State level to the revenue pokies bring in, but even looking closely at that, the argument doesn't stack up. Say $2.8 billion comes in as tax, but then the government gives back in tax breaks almost $1 billion to clubs as grants."
