Last Sunday night, the Department of Environment and Conservation in WA allowed a convoy of unescorted trucks to leave the town of Coolgardie, despite a warning from the Bureau of Meterology of significant wind changes affecting the direction of wild bush fires.

Three men perished, 2 in one truck and one in another.

Four trucks were destroyed while 11 others were able to flee to safety.

One truck carrying chemicals blew up, as did a truck carrying explosives.

Coronial enquiries will no doubt see the usual duck-shoving of responsibility, however, the environmental section of the DEC has a history of mismanagement.

In 2001, the Bellevue chemical fire occurred in WA, the largest in Australia's history. Despite the parliamentary enquiry and its recommendations for more efficient regulations to protect the environment and the public, no improvements have been made and the hazardous underground plume from the Bellevue fire is heading towards the Swan river.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s436839.htm

Only this year another parliamentary enquiry was conducted to determine why, under the regulation of DEC, the town of Esperance and some of its citizens were contaminated with lead from a mining company. Some 8,000 native birds, also contaminated, fell from the skies.

Despite many community appeals, other disastrous accidents are waiting to happen, all under the management of this department's senior bureaucrats whose discretionary powers are clearly excessive.

This is the department charged with protecting community health and our already fragile environment.

Those who survived the horrors of the Sunday inferno will require many answers, however, to whom now can they and the citizens of WA, place their trust?

Thanks, dickie for an interesting forum article.

Has the the WA Department of the Environment and Conservation always been this way or is a development of more recent years?

Hi Cacofonix

I believe this department has failed in its responsibilities for many years. I did post a long history for you and then lost the lot!!

Here are some links you may be interested in and while the modern day Neros fiddle, Rome is burning. However the same players remain at the helm feeding spin to Ministers (with inappropriate backgrounds) who depend on their "expert" opinions. Then you have Ministers and bureaucrats who are captured by pollutant industries and their lobbyists:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20879342-2702,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,20702573-2761,00.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/03/23/1071910.htm

http://202.6.74.101/news/stories/2007/09/06/2025843.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/wa/content/2006/s2053617.htm

http://wa.greens.org.au/items/Media_Release.2003-03-21.5632/view

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RRe9rnNjuYcJ:www.sprol.com/%3Fp%3D323+kwinana+pollution&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au&lr=lang_en

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:JtZ1m6c77m8J:www.savingiceland.org/node/928+yarloop+contamination&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=au&lr=lang_en

Sorry, perhaps too much information?

Tragically Cacofonix, we see yet again that the only and most unfortunate difference between WA's fearless environmental regulator/manager and the Keystone Cops is that the latter were fictional.

Cheers

dickie,

Thanks for the further information. It was said to hear that you lost the history before you posted it. It's happened to me before too. Now, I usually compose longer posts in a text editor (e.g. Notepad on Windoze or kwrite, kate, gedit or nedit on Linux) before posting, as recommended by OLO.

It is interesting that there seem to be so many dark sides to Western Australia's booming economy which are not discussed: housing hyper-inflation, water shortages, threatened power blackouts (see http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/03/2130995.htm), not to mention what economies such as China's, fed by WA's mineral exports, are doing to the world's ecology.

You should consider setting up a web site to post this material. It would be an immensely useful resource.

For example it is free to set up website on http://www.wikispaces.com (e.g. http://toxicwesternaustralia.wikispaces.com or http://toxicwa.wikispaces.com) and easy to use. Another is wordpress (http://www.wordpress.com).

I am sure that a friend who posts as daggett(http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/user.asp?id=2360), would be most interested in having this kind of material posted to his website http://candobetter.org, say within http://candobetter.org/ToxicWesternAustralia

You should be able to reach him if you look at his home page at http://candobetter.org/james

cacofonix/daggett/olduvai/et al: "I am sure that a friend who posts as daggett..."

Cute, James.

What a surprise to learn that CJ Morgan has been watching cacofonix's activities on OLO, with an eagle eye!

No doubt dickie will agree that the concerns he has raised here and to which 'cacofonix' (or 'daggett' if CJ Morgan insists) has responded, of immeasurably less importance than CJ Morgan's allegation.

Let's spend the next three months arguing over this shall we (http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=6482#97663), rather than getting on with the task of trying to change the appalling situation in WA to which dickie has drawn our attention?

(Dickie, I suggest you ignore this idiot. If it's true, so what?)

Thank you so much for that advice Cacofonix.

I intend to utilise and also alert my associates to those links.

It's also heartening to discover that there are other discerning citizens who share similar concerns.

Of course when debating these serious issues, one must endeavour to avoid the rock apes.........!

cacofonix/daggett/olduvai/James Sinnamon/ et al: " If it's true, so what?"

Just trying to keep you honest, James. Lying seems so habitual to you that you probably aren't aware of how it affects your credibility.

Of course you are right, CJ Morgan.

The whole future of OLO, or, indeed, of our very liberty, may well depend upon your ceaseless, untiring efforts to make cacofonix/daggett/olduvai/James Sinnamon/Kim Jong Il/Fallout Boy/attila/Groucho Marx/Kanga/moomintroll aware of how their dishonesty "affects (their) credibility".

So, whatever anyone may say, you cannot allow yourself, even for one moment, to relax your vigilance.

Dickie ,

What's the Rules for trucks carrying flammable chemicals and explosive materials into an area where a fire is burning ??

I have noticed that the very busy Calder Highway just north of Melbourne has huge pine forests on both sides and I would suggest that unless someone takes responsibility to make this section safe it is quite possible for a tragedy to occur in the future .

The Black Forest area is already notorious as a fire "black spot".

Dear Dickie,

The situation does sound appaling in WA from what you describe.

Perhaps a Royal Commission into the activities of the DEC may be the way to go?

Hi Kartiya Jim

I know of no guidelines for transporting chemicals or explosives through areas when bushfires are occurring.

However, on the issue of last Sunday's bushfire, these truckies were guided by the DEC authorities and given directives which these truckies unwittingly, and to their detriment, accepted as safe directives.

There are people in this state who express sympathy for the authority who sent these truckies to their death - claiming this was simply a "tragic lack of good judgement." I cannot be so benevolent in my criticism and continue to believe this was an avoidable tragedy. Chemicals, explosives and bushfires are a dangerous combination.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22992954-2702,00.html

Hi Foxy

In the early eighties, there was a royal commission into the shabby dealings of the state government in WA. Premier Brian Burke went to gaol.

The cost of the Royal Commission saw the people of this state cough of some $30 million, including Burke's legal fees.

After his second stint in gaol, Burke and former Minister Julian Grill, formed a company to lobby government officials on behalf of various industries.

Last year, The Corruption and Crime Commission conducted an enquiry into the influence these two have had over public officials. The outomes have been astonishing for most citizens of this state though several of us were well aware of corruption and officially protested but were dismissed as "nutters."

Indeed it was gratifying to find that our assertions, which the media printed prior to the CCC investigations, were vindicated, despite the threat of litigation from these thugs.

The influence Burke and Grill had (and I believe still have) over the decisions made by seniour bureaucrats and politicians proves beyond doubt that regulators in this state have no regard for public health or the environment.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22560769-5006789,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/activists-tip-a-bucket-on-big-companies/2007/08/15/1186857593122.html?page=fullpage

An individual on a road block made a bad decision, no doubt under pressure from people needing, wanting, to be allowed to journey.
In the days of advanced communication it appears to be an outrages decision. An enquiry is indeed needed, not necessarily one that blackens the decision maker, rather the lack of information and its availability.
Did the decision maker know there were explosives on trucks?
He already is trying no doubt to come to terms with the error in allowing the vehicles to travel, was it because truckies pressured beyond endurance so he let em go?
We all have been held by lolly stick men later to find it was just a power exploiting exercise and had little effect on safety.
In the interests of safety an enquiry if instigated need not have blame as its objective, but safety.
fluff4

Regarding the cacofonix/daggett issue:

I have acknowledged elsewhere on OLO that the account 'cacofonix' is the account of a friend who lives nearby who uses the Internet at my house.

I mistakenly posted using a different browser (Epiphany) which had a cookie set for 'cacofonix' rather than the browser I normally use (Konqueror) with the cookie set for the account 'daggett'.

After I realised my mistake, I decided, that rather than complicate the discussion by adding posts as 'daggett' as well, to, instead, continue posting as 'cacofonix' using the second browser. There was never any intention to mislead anyone or to flood the discussion with posts from two different accounts from the same user purporting to be different users.

Of course, as we have learnt, this was noticed by another OLO user, who had previously engaged in a long acrimonious argument with me, which started simply because I had once asked cacofonix to make a post on my behalf to get around OLO's limits.

Although no other OLO users was left in any doubt as to the true origin of that post, this was held by that user to have been fraudulent.

The complainant revealed his true motivations when he wrote:

"If I was you I'd quit before the site moderators wake up to you". (http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=6482#96724)

In other words, he was more interested in preventing my participation in the discussion, than in honesty.

I also ask to be judged in the light of my wider contributions to OLO and the web in general and not be judged purely on the basis of one or two perceived misdemeanours.

If anyone wishes to look at the whole time-wasting argument in order to be able to form his/her own judgement, please see the forum in response to the article "Privileged 'whites'" at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=6482#96360&page=0

'Did the decision maker know there were explosives on trucks?' (Fluff4)

Hi Fluff4. There is a national code for the transport of dangerous goods. All trucks (or trains) must be labelled with the appropriate codes strategically and clearly visible on the truck's exterior.

http://www.une.edu.au/hrs/handbook/04/04.15C.doc

"He already is trying no doubt to come to terms with the error in allowing the vehicles to travel, was it because truckies pressured beyond endurance so he let em go?"

Perhaps so Fluff4. However, police blockades are rarely breached by citizens who are in a hurry to get home. It simply is not permissable. I understand your empathy towards the ones who made this fatal decision, nevertheless they are representatives of an agency charged to protect the public.

And so hopefully, out of bad, comes good.

However, while not relevant to the bushfire tragedy, the DEC are the regulatory arm of the EPA who are charged with determining environmental assessments - often, it appears, to appease persuasive industries and to nurture the political and financial atrocities committed by politicians, or government agencies which have supposedly been established for the welfare of citizens and the environment.

Generally environmental assessments are determined by the science on this subject. How can one be influenced by ethics-free lobbyists over a scientific assessment?

It's estimated that Burke's government in the 80's (WA Inc) cost taxpayers around $600 million - money generously paid to that government's cronies for services not rendered.

I wonder how much the current Corruption and Crime Commission's investigations will cost this state for the ongoing, improper conduct of public officials who continue to deny all the evidence of impropriety and will, no doubt be free to conduct their "business as usual"?

James Sinnamon/cacofonix/daggett/olduvai/et al: "... 'cacofonix' is the account of a friend who lives nearby who uses the Internet at my house."

Yeah right, James. You're digging yourself deeper again - so you inadvertently pretended to be your friend when you referred dickie to your website? I suppose 'olduvai' is yet another friend who uses your computer as well. What a complex online life you must lead.

'Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!'

CJ Morgan,

Why do you think I would be concerned in the least whether or not you or not you choose to believe me?

Bye.

Update:

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23013575-2761,00.html

Thanks, Dickie.

Your post to the forum for the article "Housing affordability squeezed by speculators" at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=6697&page=0#102895 was immensely informative and helpful.

If you do get around to publishing material on wikispaces, or wordpress, please let me know so I can link to it. Of course, you are also very welcome to put it on http://candobetter.org if that should prove to be more more convenient to you.

Daggett

Thanks. After I've finished packing and moving house (some nightmare that!), I plan to have a look at those sites you have recommended.

Since I'm a bit of a computer illiterate, I may go for the "candobetter" for starters which I imagine requires fewer instructions for me to commence posting.

Cheers

I hate moving house more than almost anything else I can think of at the moment. That's one reason I hate, with a passion (as you may have gathered from http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=6697&page=0#100368), Australia's privatised housing market which has destroyed housing security for so many of us.

Please get in touch, when you can. We should have a talk over the phone. (My web site may not be, in fact, the most convenient option for you, but I would still welcome your contributions.)

And, please, keep posting here, also. If I find the time I might be able to turn some of this into a web resource that would be even more useful to others.

Thank you Dickie,its nice to know there are more people out there with a brain,& who take note of whats going on around them.The total incompetence of many departments has continued for years,the way that certain companies are protected instead of communities is criminal.Many have fought for the rights of the people to little avail,it appears the almighty buck is more important than clean air,water or soil.
The departments protect industry at any cost,the latest release from 2006 Alcoa illegally using 91,000 kilolitres of water.They won't be fined or charged yet communities are told to cut back because of the shortage.We are the highest taxed state yet we don't have a reliable source of power.
According to the government we are a gas rich state so why isn't there enough for domestic needs or power stations that are sitting idle because of no gas, unless they use coal.So much for the boom its a fiasco,Ripper goes on about full coffers yet the EPA,DEC,DoH,Police & hospitals all have the same problem not enough staff.
Kwinana strip is full but they intend to squeeze in even more ,it sits on the largest polluted strip of land I know of.
The men that lost their lives is saddening,particularly after the DEC having the weather report.I won't say anymore but I hope the department is held responsible.