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DEC, deceptive, duplicitous, or just clueless about money?


The DEC fight back with deception, bogus licenses (that no bank will loan money against), ask for things that have already been done, and turns a blind eye to the killer fine print clauses that make them kingmakers with veto rights over any business in the State.

This is a PR war, and the DEC response (below) is obviously designed to confuse the issue and slow down people who are asking questions. Instead of serving the people, they are deceiving the people. Shouldn’t we expect to get an honest reply from our “public servants”?

With all the emails headed into the WA Parliament about the Thompsons, people were asking DEC very awkward questions. In response DEC produced this reply (below). On face value, local parliamentarians might read that, and think this issue is resolved. Not so. Nothing had changed. DEC either naively don’t understand the World of Business, or worse, they do understand it, and are maliciously using it against their chosen targets.

DEC declare they’ve given the Thompsons a five year license for 10,000 head — but the fine print catch is that condition A1 makes it unbankable — no one would loan the Thompsons money to run a business with a license that says if they offend anyone anywhere in the world their license will be revoked without notice.

ODOUR CONTROL
A1 The licensee shall ensure that odour emitted from the premises does not unreasonably interfere with the health welfare, convenience, comfort or amenity of any person who is not on the premises.

This is yet another delay and deceive tactic by a Minister too weak to take on her own public servants.

It’s not a five year license, it’s a five minute license

Five minutes after 10,000 cows arrive at Matt’s farm, all it takes is one noisy neighbour to start phoning in complaints that their health and welfare is being “interfered with” and DEC can take that license away. As I explained earlier, this vague condition is so sweeping and powerful it would immediately shut down Perth airport or any other business in the state should DEC choose to apply it.

This is why selective enforcement is so noxious. Condition A1 can be used in a vendetta.

DEC’s offer to fund two odour surveys is a big “So-What” — surveys have already been done, showing the odour problems are minimal, and even that has improved. The DEC ignored the recommendations of the LCCC work in any case. It laboriously investigated the feedlot and consulted with the community and declared that the feedlot ought to have 10,000 head. How much more do the DEC need?

In any case, as long as the Department refuses to issue a workable license there’s no chance the Thompsons could stock 10,000 head for anyone to run any surveys. It’s like volunteering to buy a blind man bifocals. It’s crass and coldhearted.

When will Donna Faragher stand up for the people of WA?

When will Colin Barnett step in and stop this travesty?

Are they too scared to speak because they’re afraid of offending the green bullies?

________________________________________________________________
Minister For Environment; Youth

Narrogin Beef Producers

In January 2009, the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Donna Faragher MLC, determined appeals lodged against the Narrogin Beef Producers licence, and found that the licence conditions issued by the Department of the Environment and Conservation (DEC) were reasonable at the time, given the level of environmental and community concern regarding emissions and discharges from the premises, particularly odours. The Minister provided Narrogin Beef Producers with a way forward that required it to demonstrate environmental improvements, principally in waste management, to enable it to increase the feedlot capacity up to 10,000 head of cattle.

A Local Community Consultation Committee was formed, which included Narrogin Beef Producers, to provide advice to DEC on the extent to which Narrogin Beef Producers had implemented the steps set out in the Minister’s appeal determination of January 2009. Following this advice, DEC wrote to Narrogin Beef Producers on 31 July 2009, approving the Waste Management Plan, issuing an amended licence consistent with the Minister’s appeal determination, and providing approval to stock up to 10,000 head of cattle onsite.

In addition, DEC advised that it would fund two odour surveys to be undertaken when feedlot operation reached 6,000 head and at 10,000 head of cattle. The purpose of these surveys, together with an odour survey conducted in 2007, was to provide a basis for validating and demonstrating sustained odour reductions on-site.

As this licence was due to expire on 31 March 2010, Narrogin Beef Producers requested a five year licence to provide greater certainty for the business. DEC agreed to this request and issued a new five year licence in similar terms on 8 March 2010.

Narrogin Beef Producers and three other parties lodged appeals objecting to the conditions of the current licence. The Minister recently determined these appeals, and again confirmed that the feedlot can stock up to 10,000 head of cattle for the five year period of the licence. Narrogin Beef Producers must continue to manage odour such that it does not unreasonably interfere with sensitive receptors outside the feedlot. DEC incorporated the Minister’s appeal determination into a draft amended licence, which was issued to Narrogin Beef Producers on 30 July 2010 for comment within 21 days.

The Minister also determined that the Waste Management Plan applying to the feedlot be reviewed by an independent specialist with experience in assessing large feedlots in Australia, to ensure that management practices at the feedlot are sufficient to address off-site impacts. The review will assist Narrogin Beef Producers to identify measures to manage its impact on nearby residences, as well as provide consistency with approaches adopted in other States, where the feedlot industry is significantly greater.

10th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, West Perth Western Australia 6005
Telephone: +61 8 9213 7250 Facsimile: +61 8 9213 7255
Email: [email protected]

Click here for information about The Thompsons

Emails for our State Government

(From this post with other letters, and thanks to Jaymez)

To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

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