THE Environment Protection Authority has completed its assessment of an environmental audit that deems Jack Madigan Reserve safe to be opened to the public, despite former workers at the dumping ground expressing concern that records have been destroyed and the site is dangerous.
As reported by the Weekly, former Defence Department truck driver David King said many of his former workmates died from cancer after dumping radioactive oil and toxic chemicals at the Newport site in the 1980s.
Mr King, 57, has a rare intestinal cancer. During World War II, Australia’s navy used the site to store ship oil underground.
A Defence spokeswoman said the department was aware of a compensation claim made by Mr King in 1993.
“This claim was rejected on the basis that there was no demonstrated link between Mr King’s employment and his medical condition,’’ she said.
‘‘Defence is committed to its obligations to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers while at work and that the health and safety of other persons is not put at risk by its activities.”
But a 1998 book published by law firm Slater and Gordon, titled That Disreputable Firm, states that in that year, of 28 drivers including Mr King, 13 had died.
Since the book’s publication, three more have died.
Another former driver, Colin Palmer, worked at the site from 1985-1988. He, too, has had cancer. Mr Palmer said he was concerned about the potential risks posed by the site.Another former defence worker, Charlie Fiorini, OK said he was concerned records had disappeared.
“We were exposed to asbestos,” he said. ““We were actually supposed to have x an X-ray every one or two years, but all the records were destroyed.”
