Interview:
Terry Godfrey, Salt Ash resident and victim: 3rd
June 2003
What
are your aims and objectives?
To permanently close Salt Ash Air Weapons Range which
is used by RAAF aircraft for low level bombing &
strafing day & night
What
are the dangers?
Toxic fallout, a minimum 6% of unburnt fuel . [ JP8
]. Pollution of the Tomago Sandbed aquifer [one of
the main water supplies to Newcastle & Port Stephens]
ie. Lead, aluminium & many other nasties that
are in the sandbeds that we are still trying to identify.
There are approx..,600 rainwater tanks affected by
the fallout. Everyone that has had a test for Toluene
are all above normal levels [Toluene is one the Chemical
additives in JP8. Commercial aircraft do not use JP8]
Continuous circling of low flying RAAF aircraft over
homes & bombing & strafing within 1 kilometre
of homes is a major cause of stress in the areas of
Salt Ash, Tanilba Bay, Mallubula, Swan Bay, &
Bobs Farm. [Approx..,5ooo homes]
The RAAF have started fires on or near the range on
Total Ban Days, this was filmed by Prime & NBN
TV as it happened. Only Prime showed on the news.
.
Recorded noise levels of 98 decibels in Salt Ash &
Tanilba Bay [hearing damage, specially children].
Is
the danger proved?
Yes.
What
are the politicians doing about it ?
So
far we havent been able to find a politician
who is willing to go against anything that RAAF Base
Williamtown wants.
Is there a cover up?
I
and many others believe there is [some say they have
proof].
Who
are the supporters?
Greens political party, [info on website] plus hundreds
of people who live in the areas mentioned above and
the previous Mayor of Port Stephens Council, Steve
Busteed.
Who
are the detractors?
The NSW state member for Port Stephens, John Bartlett,
a Raafie from way back [ his quote ], David Kemp Federal
Minister for Environment, tells lies about what his
department has said; Bob Baldwin our local Federal;
member who claims to be trying to make a fair balance
between the needs of the residents & the needs
of the RAAF. Unfortunately the needs of the RAAF always
win & we always lose; The RAAF & the Defence
Dept, the hierarchy in Canberra all believe what ever
the RAAF tell them.
What
are the facts?
The
facts are: The RAAF are using 5000 homes as a bombing
range and have targets within one kilometre of residents
homes and over the past years have expanded with bigger
planes, & more planes.
What
other media outlets have you contacted?
E-mails
to ACA (A Current Affair) & Prime TV, letters
to the editor, in several newspapers no replies from
them and that was several weeks ago.
Do
you know of corruption involved?
We
believe there is corruption involved ie RAAF personel
trying to blame residents for things like tying explosives
on to helium balloons etc..
What
needs to be done about it?
Australia
has plenty of open spaces where people do not live.
The RAAF have fast aircraft and can go anywhere to
practice. We need someone with enough morals and guts
to tell the RAAF what to do. N0 other country in the
world does this to their own people. [I believe Germany
now goes to a desert in the United States to do their
air to ground weapons training].
end.
Links
www.govpollution.info
Remove Salt Ash Air Weapons Range
www.defence.gov.au
Department of Defence
www.defence.gov.au/raff
Royal Australian Air Force
www.greenpeace.org.au
Greenpeace Australia Pacific
www.hrw.org
Human Rights Watch
www.aca.nine.com.au
A Current Affair
Editors
comment:
The problem appears very real to me. As a former member
of the Australian Army Reserve (most improved recruit
- 1989 - 1991), and fromer Air Cadet, I have an appricition
for "both sides of the story". Both parties
have their own needs and requirments. Unfortunatly,
HEALTH of the residents looks to be at risk.
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