Hospital Demolition Shenanigans

Hello ya'll and welcome to the blog...and as the title would suggest, this post is about the latest deceits and distortions being disseminated by Mt Gambier City Council re the Old Hospital Demolition, particularly on the issue of Asbestos Contamination.

I refer to yesterday's post re the ongoing and apparently haphazard removal of Asbestos from the main Hospital building...(ah, come on, you're being a bit harsh...they're doing 'as-best-as' they can-Ed)...that Ed, is possibly the worst pun ever on this blog...(and that's saying something-Ed)...quite...

Having broken almost every rule of Asbestos handling by smashing in the front window frames with their big excavator rather than carefully removing the frames one by one, now the story is that the window frames across the back of the building allegedly don't have Asbestos Mastic contamination. This is stated by Councillor Des Mutton who is the City Council's Old Hospital Redevelopment Sub-Committee Presiding Member in today's The Border Watch, Wednesday 20th November 2013 (Attached).

The demolition of this main building was allegedly due to start on Monday 18th November, but was allegedly delayed due to contractor McMahons Services requiring some piece of equipment from Adelaide (ABC Local Radio). As per yesterdays post, I saw the large excavator operating, as it was again today, demolishing the building immediately adjacent the main building. 

Also yesterday I saw workers in asbestos protective suits, a crane, and a large skip at the opposite (Western) end of the building. The skip lined with orange plastic was still in the same place today as per the 3rd photo below. The crane had been moved back to the right-hand/centre of the building where I observed two workers in protective clothing and took the three photos below...(your child did-Ed)...fair enough...at around 12.30hrs.

Only one worker can be seen in the photo, but this shows that asbestos is still being removed even as Council states that the building was due to be demolished starting last Monday 18th, and according to today's TBW "...will finally get underway tomorrow." (Thursday 21st Nov) There are also a number of Aluminium window frames still hanging in place in those front windows.

It is my understanding that Council requires specific certificates verifying the adequate removal of asbestos and/or asbestos contaminated materials, and that they do not have these certificates relative to the main building. How, therefore, can they be announcing the demolition? They're still removing asbestos and they don't have the legal approvals to start demolishing. 

It is also my understanding that McMahons tender for asbestos removal, 1) does not include disposal of that material, which I understand is not being disposed of locally, but is likely being taken to Adelaide. It would appear that Council..(and therefore ratepayers-Ed)...are paying for McMahons to ship the contaminated waste to their own disposal facility in Adelaide. This will therefore not appear as part of any variances...(he means increases to the cost-Ed)...on the actual tender, because as covered in previous posts McMahons have an Exclusion Clause about "Disposal of contaminated material".

And secondly, it is also my understanding that McMahons 'Asbestos Removal Tender' was based on only part of the site, not the full job, and that there is inevitably going to be a massive cost blow-out as a result.

Today I lodged an official complaint with the Environment Protection Authority re these Asbestos issues, and full credit to them that they appear to have acted immediately in contacting Council and checking the appropriate paperwork, etc...I'm not sure what the outcome of that will be, but Council cannot say that they are acting in ignorance...again, I have been highly critical of the EPA and they are to be congratulated on this specific issue. 

 

At the risk of sounding like a complete git, I will not expose my sources in Council and elsewhere, and can only say that I have thoroughly researched these issues as best I can, and that Council is aware of their responsibilities because they were contacted today by the EPA.

It is my personal experience and my opinion based on that experience, that City Council are relentless liars as and when it suits them...and this Old Hospital fiasco is a classic example...make it up as they go along, ignoring anything that gets in the way of what they want to do, lie when questioned, and if backed into a corner, lash out furiously threatening retribution.

I can't say where the whole Demolition disaster is heading, but with these massive Asbestos contamination issues and the current Court case, the likelihood that the overall cost will scare $10million, increases daily...(go on, say it-Ed)...alright...why am I the only one who's even trying to hold Council to account for their disastrous nepotism, corruption, and incompetence?

Mt Gambier is dying...look around you...more and more houses for sale, businesses closing, people leaving town, etc...and if you think the Old Hospital issue is the only problem,

Tomorrow: Rail Lands Shenanigans again

I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers and laters...