Correspondence

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This is where it starts…
Jodie Campbell MP…..

21.04.2008 –    Letter to Jodie Campbell MP Federal Member for Bass.
24.04.2008 –    Reply from Jodie Campbell MP
23.07.2009 –    Letter to Jodie Campbell MP asking what she has done for the people of Bass

06.10.2009 – Mr. Geoff Lyons from Jodie Campbell’s office says he contacted Michelle O’Byrne’s office and they told him, “..they will not have anything  to do with you.” “They just passed me around” he said.  He was dealing with the 21/4/2008 letter as the 23.07.09 letter was not on file. I forwarded  it off for the 3rd time.

06.10.2009 –   E-mail to Geoff Lyons
06.10.2009 –   Response from Geoff Lyons On the wrong track
07.10.2009 –   E-mail to Jodie Campbell MP

David Llewellyn answers for Federal Minister Jodie Campbell – see below.
2010 –   Jodie Campbell resigned from the Labor Party.

Hon Peter Garrett AM MP – Federal Minister for Environment

31.07.2008 –    Reply  to Dave Groves from Kelly Pearce, Environment Standards Branch

Michelle O’Byrne MP – State Minister for Environment

22.04.2008 –    Jodie Campbell copy to State Environment Minister
27.05.2008 –    Reply from Michelle O’Byrne MP
27.05.2008 –    Letter to Michelle O’Byrne MP
02.06.2008 –    Telephone request to Michelle O’Byrne’s office to meet with her (following my 3rd hospitalisation)
03.06.2008 –    Further telephone request to meet with the Environment Minister, Michelle O’Byrne. I take it my request was denied by Brad Arkell her Environment adviser, as “The Minister is very busy.”
05.06.2008 –    Attended Michelle O’Byrne’s electoral office.
05.06.2008 –    e-mail reply from Environment adviser Brad Arkell – Change of mind. Now “considering meeting”
05.06.2008 –    Letter from Michelle O’Byrne MP
18.06.2008 –    Follow up letter to Michelle O’Byrne MP re meeting date
25.06.2008 –    E-mail from Michelle O’byrne. Refer 5th June e-mail.
03.07.2008 –    Letter to Michelle O’Byrne’s office e-mailed and registered post
22.07.2008 –    Letter to Michelle O’Byrne further request of 5/6/08 information.
07.08.2008 –    Letter from Michelle O’Byrne
April 2009   –    5 June 2008 World Environment Day: Watch the DVD released under FOI (3.93 Mb Windows Media Video file). Mac users: need Windows Media® Components for QuickTime to allow Quicktime to utilise .wmv files. Read and download.
19.05.2009 –    Phone call to Brad Arkelle and email to Michelle O’Byrne
26.05.2009 –    E-mail from Brad Arkell. Michelle O’Byrne is unable to meet wih me. 
30.06.2009 –    Michelle O’Byrne MP loses her department.
29.07.2009 –    Michelle O’Byrne picks on wood heaters, not mega tons of forestry smoke

David Llewellyn MP – Minister responsible for Forestry

04.08.2008 –    E-mail from David Llewellyn MP to G. Stannus
20.08.2008 –    Letter to David Llewellyn          
28.10.2008 –    Reply from David Llewellen
21.10.2009 –    David Llewelln replies for Jodie Campbell?
16.12.2009 –    Letter to David Llewellyn
20.03.2010 –    David Llewellyn lost his seat.

Tasmanian Fire Service  (TFS)

Planned clearing does not mean planned burning.
Intention to burn Grindelwald

Response to burn
24.12.2008 –    FOI request re planned burn
28.02.2009 –    FOI release
05.03.2009 –    Background Briefing Paper 

Asthma Foundation of Tasmania

Environmental  Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC)

Environment Protection Authority Tasmania (EPA)

Smoke Monitoring Methods Review. – UTAS Front page only, request it from the EPA
11.02.2008 –    Requested Statement of Intent
17.01.2009 –    Statement of Intent and Media Release  
14.05..2009-    New Air Monitoring Equipment.
The equipment being installed. Indicative readings only? 
22.04.2009 –   Email from Warren Jones. Nobody made the smoke and FPA says no breaches of
Guidelines.
11.11.2009 –    15 minute meeting with the Board.
03.06.2010 –    EPA Board – CSMS is a failure. Resulting health problems.
05.06.2010 –    Launceston city smog
11.06.2010 –    EPA drops action…again. Burners have a free hand with toxic smoke.
07.07.2010 –    EPA   Board-  Response to 3/6/2010 letter View at 100%
2003 –    Has anything changed?

Forest Practices Authority (FPA)

29.08.2008 –    updated Submission – Standard for Smoke Management
cc to Labor, Liberal, Greens, Health Dept.
08.09.2008 –    E-mail response from Sue Napier MP
14.09.2008 –    Letter to Sue Napier MP
17.09.2008 –    E-mail response from Will Hodgman MP
17.09.2008 –    Additional information for my submission. There is no need to burn!
23.09.2008 –    Reply form FPA
29.09.2008 –    Reply from Tas Fire Service
29.09.2008 –    E-mail to Tas Fire Service
05.10.2008 –    Registered letter to Tas Fire Service  Smoke/health not their worry.
12.10.2008 –    Registered letter to Warren Jones FPA adviser & EPA Director.
See Forestry Tasmania reply 7/11/2008
12.11.2008 –    FOI request. “Who drew up the draft smoke guidelines used in 2008 burns?”
18.11.2008 –    FOI response We didn’t draw them up. We have only met twice on the 2009 ones.
25.11.2008 –    FOI response We did draw them up.
16.03.2009 –    FOI Request – for Daily Smoke Information
08.04.2009 –    16.3.2009 FOI – FPA’s Decision
15.04.2009 –    E-mail reply seeking Internal review of decision.
30.04.2010 –    FPA- FOI released information. Participating  CSMS users in 2008, 2009 and 2010
26.07.2010 –    Registered Smoke complaints to FPA for 2009 & 2010 (8.1Mb)

Forestry Tasmania (FT)

22.04.2008 –    FOI Request to Forestry Tasmania.
05.05.2008 –    Reply from Forestry Tasmania saying to be specific with FOI Request
06.06.2008 –    Telephone call from Bob Knox Forestry Tasmania (Devonport) wishing to meet with me
next week.
11.06.2008 –   FOI information from Forestry Tasmania hand delivered. Dated 28.5.2008.
12.06.2008 –    Confirmation of yesterdays meeting with Forestry Tasmania
17.06.2008 –    Letter to Forestry Tasmania re Freedom of Information
24.06.2008 –    Letter to Forestry Tasmania re Freedom of Information
25.06.2008 –    Letter from Forestry Tasmania (Mersey) re 11.6.08 meeting
25.06.2008 –    Reply from Forestry Tasmania. re FOI Request
29.06.2008 –    Letter to Forestry Tasmania re Freedom of Information, phone calls and visit.
Go here to read incomplete release.
17.07.2008 –    Reply from Forestry Tasmania re Freedom of Information
17.07.2008 –    Further release of FOI documents
24.07.2008 –    FOI Request #2 faxed to Forestry Tasmania. Request for “Standard for Smoke Management.”
01.08.2008 –    Letter to Forestry Tasmania re 22/4/2008 FOI Request
08.08.2008 –    Reply from Forestry Tasmania with private forests burn information as per FOI request.
15.08.2008 –    Letter to Forestry requesting a review of their decision re FOI
28.08.2008 –    Response from Bob Gordon Review decision  1st FOI request.
19.09.2008 –    Response from Ombudsman. 2nd FOI request
26.09.2008 –    Forestry Documents released – but haven’t said who drew them up. 2nd FOI request  
07.10.2008 –    Go here to read what Forestry Tas are saying after they were “made” release the information.
31.12.2008 –    Letter to Jane Becker  Client Liaison Officer
23.01.2009 –    Registered follow up letter.
23.02.2009 –    Reply from Jane Becker, CLO
12.03.2009 –    Reply from Peter Rowlands
09.04.2009 –    Ombudsman’s decision in relation to my FOI request of 22.4.2008
11.05.2009 –    FOI Release
23.11.2010 –    Right to Information:

Tasmanian Forests and Forestry Industry Council (FFIC)

25.2.2009 –    FFIC  public forum in Hoabart on burns and smoke management.
26.2.2009 –    Air quality fails test. – see media report

Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service

12.05.2009 –  Parks and Wildlife Service – Major burning taking place
11.05.2009 –  And then there was this –  Hypercritical?

State Liberal Party

21.04.2008 –    copy Jodie Campbell letter to Hon Will Hodgman MP. Leader of Opposition.
24.07.2008 –    Letter to Will Hodgman MP
08.09.2008 –    E-mail from Sue Napier. Shadow Minister for Environment Parks &Wildlife
14.09.2008 –    Letter to Sue Napier MP

Media

27.04.2008 –    Examiner   Patersonia resident suffers (click on the article to ENLARGE print)
28.04.2008 –    Mercury  Glenorchy resident suffers.
07.05.2008 –    The Greens- Forestry burn smoke results in hospitalisation.
07.05.2008 –    Examiner West Tamar resident suffers
10.05.2008 –    Examiner  Premier “helps” asthmatics
31.05.2008 –    World Environment Day – Letter to the Editor
02.06.2008 –    Examiner   Forest Industries propaganda. No need to burn and smoke people out.(click
on the article to enlarge print)
05.06.2008 –    Mercury – Peaceful protest
24.06.2008 –    Examiner April smoke was planned burn smoke not wood heaters.
11.06.2008 –    Examiner
01.08.2008 –    Letter to the Editor  Asthma on the increase in Tasmania
18.08.2008 –    Letter to the Editor  Forestry facts
24.08.2008 –    Examiner Why did I attend the protest
05.09.2008 –    Examiner  Smoke pollution
11.11.2008 –    Examiner & Mercury National Association of Forest Industries
29.11.2008 –    Letter to the Editor EPA and Smoke Monitoring
02.01.2009 –    Examiner   UTAS Smoke Monitoring Review
26.01.2009 –    Tasmanian Times  
26.02.2009 –    Mercury – Air quality fails test 
28.02.2009 –    Examiner   Tony Stonjek letter 
28.02.2009 –    Letter to the Editor Health effects from burning.
30.03.2009 –    Examiner Health Risks
23.04.2009   –  Letter to the editor – Smoke travel distances.
22.05.2009  –   Letter to the editor – Asthma Foundation Tasmania
28.07.2009 –    Letter to the editor – Social Responsibilities
06.09.2009 –    Letter to the editor – More than six weeks of burning.
01.10.2009 –    Letter to the editor – Silica dust
15.10.2009 –    Letter to the Editor – Local government candidate is a burner
01.02.2010 –    Letter to the Editor – The reality of total fire bans.
23.04.2010 –    Mercury– Smoke strategy is a failure.
11.06.2010 –    Examiner– Smoke review.
11.06.2010 –    Mercury – No action over forestry burns.    19.4.2010- The report at the time.
04.08.2023 –    Mercury – CSIRO study. Planned burns. Air purifiers

Dick Adams MP Federal member for Lyons

15.05.2008 –    Letter to Dick Adams MP Federal Member for Lyons
15.05.2008 –   Reply from Dick Adams MP  &  the attachment
21.05.2008 –    Letter to Dick Adams MP Federal Member for Lyons
16.06.2008 –    Letter from Dick Adams MP. Letters to and from Dick; he has lost the plot completely.

Premier David Bartlett

01.07.2008 –    Telephoned Premiers Dept. re Refusal of Environment Minister to meet.
13.07.2008 –    Letter to Premier David Bartlett. Environment Minister’s refusal to meet. Acknowledged, waiting on  reply as at 2/7/2009.
24.06.2009 –    Various emails from Premier’s advisor. See Michelle O’Byrne correspondence above.
David Bartlett resigned from politics.

Health Department / Public and Environmental Health

01.05.2008 –    copy to Director of Public Health, Dr. Roscoe Taylor  
19.05.2008 –    Letter to Director of Public Health, Dr. Roscoe Taylor
13.06.2008 –    Follow up letter to Director of Public Health Dr. Roscoe Taylor
17.06.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Roscoe Taylor. Director of Public Health.
21.06.2008 –    Letter to Dr. Roscoe Taylor. Director of Public Health
01.07.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Roscoe Taylor  Director of Public Health. (click on the letter to enlarge) Meeting held 7/7/08.
12.08.2008 –    Follow up meeting held.
06.08.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Roscoe Taylor to J. Greig
03.09.2008 –    Response from Dr. RoscoeTaylor
10.10.2008 –    Letter to Dr. Roscoe Taylor  Tas Fire Service says smoke is Environmental Health’s worry.
23.10.2008 –    Repeat letter emailed and registered post to Dr. Roscoe Taylor 
19.11.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Roscoe Taylor.  
24.11.2008 –    Letter to Dr. Roscoe Taylor
28.11.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Roscoe Taylor
04.12.2008 –    Letter to Dr. Roscoe Taylor
22.12.2008 –    Reply from Dr. Chrissie Pickin. A/Director of Public Health
06.01.2009 –    Letter to Dr. Roscoe Taylor 
23.01.2009 –    Registered follow up letter.
28.07.2009 –    Reply re Health web site not mentioning anything about Air Quality
10.04.2022 –    Letter to Dr Mark Veitch – Director of Public Health – Ventilation
22.05.2022 –    Particle pollution and health-based categories & attachment
13.06.2022 –    RTI  rerquest – Ventilation
21.06 2022 –    DHHS response
02.07.2022 –    Further correspondence re health-based categories  & attachment
10.07.2022 –    Follow up to Rosalind Harrison DHHS
11.07.2022 –    Email to Stewart Quinn – Health based categories and health warnings
31.07.2022 –    No acknowledgement – Follow up email to Stewart Quinn & Video attachmen

Don Wing MLC

24.06.2008 –    Letter to Don Wing MLC

Tasmania Fire Service; Fuel Reduction Unit

02.10. 2015 – TFS Fuel Reduction Burn Unit – Bridgenorth proposed burn.
12.10. 2015 – Locals get choked up about smoke
19.10. 2015 – Hazard reduction burning has limited benefits in curbing bushfires
25.10. 2015 – FRU media release Bridgenorth Grindelwald burn
27.10. 2015 – Various emails to and from the Manager, Fuel Reduction Unit

More recent information is yet to be posted.

Submissions

31.07.2008 –    Submission to Joint Select Committee on Ethical Conduct.    #84 Stott
25.01.2009 –    E-mail to Secretary
27.01.2009 –    Reply from Sergeant-at-Arms
20.02.2009 –    Further response
13.02.2009 –   Submission to the Renewable Energy Amendment Bill
     03.2009 –    Joint Select Committee on Ethical Conduct – Launceston Hearings
02.03.2009 –    E-email to Joint Select Committee – Wrong name
02.03.2009 –    Email reply from Joint select Committee
                          Joint Select Committee on Ethical Conduct – 7/11/2008 Launceston transcript can be found here
27.08.2010 –    Ambient Air Quality – NEPM Review Discussion Paper
     12.2010 –    EMPC Regs 2017 – Evaluation Report 2010
     04.2013 –    Inquiry:Impacts on health of Air quality in Australia and Submission

2018            –    2021 Australian Census. Questions on the number of wood heaters.
03.06.2022 –    NSW: Protection of the Environment Operations (clean air) Regulation 2022
06.02.2022 –    Vic. – Kingston City Council Submission

Various

07.06.2008 –    Letter to President Cystic Fibrosis Tasmania
19.05.2009 –    Tasmania Police – Ombudsman’s findings and observations after the smoke flare demonstration.
27.05.2009 –    Letter to Dr. Erica Bell.
07.10.2009 –    Letter to Senator Helen Polley. Senator Polley has an interest in babies’ well-being. They are affected most by this smoke.
09.10.2009 –    Letter from Senator Polley
12.10.2009 –    Letter to Senator Polley  – Ambient Air Quality NEPM
18.12.2009 –    Email from Senator Polley’s office
08.01.2010 –   Letter from Senator Polley. Will contact me when her office gets a reply from Michelle O’Byrne.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

30.09.2023 – PeterMac
I guess most of us in Australia would have heard of PeterMac, or the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation. I had. I even applied for a job with them many years ago.

“Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is internationally recognised for helping to lead the search for cancer cures, and is Australia’s only public hospital solely dedicated to caring for people affected by cancer.”
“Together, we can find new and better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancers.”

Recently, I received a large unsolicited letter in the post box from PeterMac. It contained a pair of socks, a biro, 3 small cards with envelopes, copy of correspondence from a young patient, a request for money with $1000 circled, and a signed letter from the CEO.

I decided to respond directly to the CEO, Kate Torney OAM, (56Kb) and that is when things came unstuckI was prevented from doing so (101Kb).

I thought PeterMac and cleanairtas were on the same page and concerned about cancer, as  “Together, we can find new and better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancers.”
Why won’t my correspondence be forwarded to the CEO to whom it was addressed?

One major way to prevent some cancers is right before our very eyes. That is to stop deliberate wood smoke at the source
World Health Organisation studies show air pollution and Particulate Matter (a major component of wood smoke) cause cancer in humans. Air pollution and Particulate Matter were both declared Group 1 carcinogens ten years ago, in 2013.

I feel rather than using valuable resources to prevent my correspondence getting to where it is addressed, why doesn’t PeterMac use the proven science to PREVENT many air pollution/wood smoke caused cancers in the first place?
Why wait till someone gets cancer.
Prevention is better than cure

COVID

11.3.2022 – Education Department: Air purifiers and CO2 monitors (3.3Kb download)

23.1.2022 – Letter to Tasmanian Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff – LGH Ventilation (24Kb download)
18.3.2022 – Letter from Tasmanian Health Minister – download
15.4.2022 – Letter to Premier and Health Minister Rockliff -download
26.6.2023 – Ombudsman’s Decision is adverse to Dept of Health.
25.9.2023 – Ongoing

BREATHE  – WOOD SMOKE STUDY in 2023 – Kirby Institute

HUMAN ETHICS – Exposing compromised people to wood smoke?

Who can participate in the study?
“Anyone with asthma or COPD (emphysema, chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis) and who live in an area in Australia affected by bushfires or bushfire smoke, including metropolitan areas, may be eligible to be part of the study.”

“The aim of this research is to determine whether the use of surgical masks and P2 masks protects people with asthma, emphysema, chronic  bronchitis or bronchiectasis from the effects of smoke exposure during bush?re season in Australia.”

“People who consent to be in the study will be randomly allocated to one of three groups: surgical masks, P2 masks or outdoor air avoidance.
If allocated to a mask, they will need to wear a mask when exposed to bush?re smoke.
Their health will be tracked during a maximum of 4 weeks around controlled backburning between August and November 2023 and through all of December 2023 and January 2024 this summer. A final period of follow up will occur from 1April to 30 April 2024.”