Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been called on to directly intervene in Katherine’s chemical contamination predicament.
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Katherine Mayor Fay Miller said she is prepared to immediately fly to Canberra to meet with Mr Turnbull to brief him on the town’s plight.
Mayor Miller this week sent a plea directly to Mr Turnbull asking him to take the lead on solving the town’s PFAS problems.
Council last week endorsed a letter to the Prime Minister seeking his “urgent and determined leadership to more effectively deal with the impacts of PFAS to our people, environment and economy”.
The Katherine Times contacted Mr Turnbull’s office directly asking for his response on Mayor Miller’s plea.
“The invitation would be considered in the regular way,” Katherine Times was told by a spokesman for the Prime Minister.
Mr Turnbull spent most of last week dealing with a parliamentary crisis and on the weekend flew out to Israel.
Mayor Fay Miller read a draft of the letter at the October council meeting but it was not sent until Friday.
Mayor Miller has requested a face to face with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to advocate for the Katherine community.
Council made this public plea after spending the past year grappling with the issue of how to respond to public concern about unsafe levels of PFAS chemicals.
The council’s letter to Mr Turnbull seeks support for the Katherine community.
“This letter to the Prime Minister marks another milestone in the ongoing advocacy by council for our community on the PFAS issue in Katherine,” Mayor Fay Miller said.
“Since council was made aware of the issue, we have been getting on with the work of advocating for our community through countless meetings and discussions with our community, Federal and Territory governments.
“Our elected members and a team of five key officers have worked many hours and through the night at times to ensure that our community is best supported,” she said.
Mayor Miller said council had a ‘Katherine first’ view on the issue.
“‘On-the-ground’ people from Defence, NT Government and council are doing their best to respond to the issue.
“But as well observed by the Katherine Times, despite the progress made, we need the increased leadership of our federal government at this critical time.” she said.
Council CEO Robert Jennings said council has been getting on with solving the problem in a strategic manner, rather than creating additional problems to be solved.
“We have chosen to show respect, collaboration and integrity whilst still setting clear boundaries and speaking out strongly for our community,” Mr Jennings said.
Mayor Miller said we are still at the beginning of this journey.
“Now is the time for resilience and forward thinking,” Mayor Miller said.
“We do not want to perpetuate a legacy of Katherine being defined by PFAS, but instead will lead the campaign of a township defined by its united people who will create their own enriching and sustainable future in agriculture, tourism, economic development, natural wonders, regional services, aboriginal and non-aboriginal culture and arts,” she said.
“We know this is possible, as our people have been tested many times before through floods, so let us not fail this current test of our township and let it make us greater.”
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