A critique of some of those involved in the dispute about Rosebery

By Kay Seltitzas and Isla MacGregor, Toxic Heavy Metals Taskforce Tasmania (THMTT

Mayor Darryl Gerrity – Defending the Mayordom  (See article in Lanv11n2)

West Coast Mayor Darryl Gerrity, while claiming to always having been sympathetic on heavy metal poisoning issues has not lived up to this in the Rosebery situation. In fact, he only met with three residents on one occasion for half an hour. Repeated telephone calls by the THMTT to make an appointment with him were initially not responded to. When a final meeting was arranged this had to be cancelled due to failing health of a THMTT representative. This occurred after Mayor Gerrity had repeatedly and publicly expressed his contempt for those suffering from heavy metal poisoning. Mayor Gerrity's assertion that many residents have been tested can not be substantiated with the numbers. Only about 20% of children from Rosebery were tested for heavy metals and the background information about these children's exposure period living in Rosebery or socio-economic background was not provided. This, therefore, does not provide an adequate set of data to make assumptions about children’s blood/urinary metal and arsenic levels. Mayor Gerrity, even given his extensive knowledge of the impacts of acid mine drainage in Queenstown and the controversy over the lost Federal Government rehabilitation funds, refuses to acknowledge the fact that parts of Rosebery are heavy metal 'hotspots' affected by acid mine drainage. Mayor Gerrity also fails to acknowledge that people have been diagnosed with heavy metal poisoning by Dr Andreas Ernst and eight other doctors and specialists. The residents who bravely raised these issues with the mine and the Government have been the ones who have suffered the most insults and threats in Rosebery.