Oakey water contamination: Ministerial snub for toxic town

DEFENCE Minister Marise Payne has refused to commit to visiting Oakey before next month’s federal poll, raising suspicions she is trying to avoid the water contamination scandal becoming an election issue.

Oakey Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant in Ramsay Street, Oakey. Pic: David Martinelli

DEFENCE Minister Marise Payne has refused to commit to visiting Oakey before next month’s federal poll, raising suspicions she is trying to avoid the water contamination scandal becoming an election issue.

It comes as the Minister agreed to visit the struggling Darling Downs region after State Health Minister Cameron Dick’s request, but only at a “mutually acceptable time”.

Senator Payne is likely to face emotive scenes in Oakey, where residents are fighting to have Defence fund blood tests after toxic chemicals seeped from the local air base into the town’s bore water supply over three decades.

So far, the department has remained reluctant to engage with the town’s residents, forcing state and federal politicians to weigh in on the issue including Mr Dick, Environment Minister Steven Miles, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon.

Mr Dick said he was willing to travel to Oakey with the ­Defence Minister as soon as a time could be agreed upon.

“But our preference is to travel there as soon as possible,” Mr Dick said.

When asked if Senator Payne would commit to visiting the town before July 2, a spokesman would only say the Minister would “liaise with Mr Dick to arrange a suitable date for a meeting”.

Resident Jennifer Spencer – who has been unable to secure a bank loan after her property was contaminated – said the Minister risked losing votes.

“We want the Minister in this town before the election and we want a policy plan outlined and delivered to us on her arrival,” she said.

“The Defence Department has left us completely in the dark for far too long.”