Page 5833 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 7 December 2010
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MR BARR: Yes. As I indicated in my answer to the Leader of the Opposition’s opening question in question time today, yes—that the site contained a former sewerage works and was also understood to be a site for the dumping of a considerable amount of builders waste. Yes, the Planning and Land Authority and other ACT government agencies were aware of that. Hence a major piece of work was commissioned involving consultants and specialists in the area of dealing with this sort of contamination.
What has become apparent, though, as work has progressed, is that the extent of the contamination is greater than first thought. It was always understood that the area contained a degree of contaminated soil. What has become apparent as the process has continued, more dirt has been cleared and more digging has occurred is that there is more contamination than was originally thought.
MS BRESNAN: A supplementary?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, given the rainy weather that the ACT has experienced, has ACTPLA received any advice from the EPA about the dangers of asbestos washing downstream and any remediation measures that might be required?
MR BARR: I am not aware of any advice but I will seek clarification from the Planning and Land Authority as to whether they have received any advice from the EPA in relation to the recent rainfall.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary?
MR SESELJA: Thank you. Minister, how much will remediation cost and are you certain that the 90,000 tonnes as outlined is the extent of the waste?
MR BARR: The answer to both of those questions is uncertain at this point in time.
Alexander Maconochie Centre—capacity
MR HANSON: My question is to the minister for corrections and relates to the population of the new jail. I quote from Hansard from estimates hearings on 25 May this year. I said:
You planned on a prisoner population of up to 300, because that is how many beds you have got.
The minister responded:
Indeed.
However, during annual reports hearings on 19 November, it was revealed that the maximum population of the AMC is only about 245. Minister, did you mislead the
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