I live in a community that has had its water tanks contaminated with Simazine from an aerial spray operation at least some kilometres away.  This alarming history is long and replicated across the entire state….since the time these industrial poisons began to be applied.

[BTW, the state government responded to our community’s anger by refusing to test the drinking water in household water tanks across the entire state. Of course the aerial spray operations continued with the identity and place of the operations kept secret from the general public.  Why didn’t the ABC and other media take up the cause when they were appealed to over and over again??]

So, given Marcus Scammmel’s apparent findings he would be more accurate to say that deadly toxins in (most of) our drinking water emanate both from the trees themselves AND also from the pesticides sprayed over and within them.

By the way, many households (like ours) don’t have the online facilities to view videos.  A transcript would be helpful.

I wonder at what stage of the election campaign (if at all) we will hear anything about seriously trying to prevent illness in this state. Hopefully Alison Bleaney’s good work will encourage politicians, advisors and health bureaucrats to think a bit more about what can be done to keep people well and out of hospitals. Plenty of money is being poured and promised for hospitals and acute services but where is the equivalent money for health promotion and proper preventative strategies?

We recognise that there is a major lifestyle component to most of our chronic health problems so what are we doing about it? We are overwhelmed by chronic diseases, overcrowded wards and the worst health in the nation and our leaders stand around ringing their hands and wondering why.      I think we all know why. Good health is an investment. It is long-term.  Unlike building a new facility or buying an expensive piece of equipment, we will not see results from health promotion before the next election.  We may not see it for a generation.  But we have to start NOW. The time for empty words and glossy brochures is over. It’s time for some real action. Time to stop further pollution and poisoning people. Time to clean up our water, air and food so that we can all breathe, drink and eat safely. Time to put real dollars into community centres and community services which encourage healthy activities and support people physically, socially and emotionally.  It is cheaper and much kinder to keep people well, active and supported, in control of their own health and living in their own homes, than the obvious expensive alternative.

Heather Donaldson, Westbury.