"NO GOV'T CONFIDENCE IN E.P.A." SAY GREENS

"The Whyalla Steelworks Bill (introduced to parliament this week and likely to be debated next week) is proof that the government has no confidence in the EPA", according to Greens candidate and environmental lawyer, Mark Parnell.

The SA Greens say that this " flies in the face of ALP election promises and a 2002 Act of Parliament enshrining the EPA as an independent statutory body. Currently it is unlawful for a Minister to order the EPA how to respond to pollution problems, hence the special legislation."

The main feature of the legislation is that it revokes the EPA's pollution licence (issued in January 2005 after 2 years of consultation) and replaces it with one written by Minister Holloway in consultation with OneSteel.

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