Newcastle East Public School neighbours call for transparency over asbestos crisis
Parents aren’t the only ones who have been fuming over the asbestos crisis at Newcastle East Public School, with neighbours asking the questions, why weren’t they also notified.
Newcastle
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Parents aren’t the only ones who have been fuming over the asbestos crisis at Newcastle East Public School, with neighbours asking the questions, why weren’t they also notified.
Nearby resident Albert Papichio said the Education Department needed to be more transparent.
“They would have known right from the start what was going,” he said.
“We haven’t had any correspondence with the school, no-one has contacted us to check on our wellbeing, to see if there are any concerns we might have.”
A meeting on Monday included Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, representatives from School Infrastructure NSW and the Department of Education.
Asbestos experts fronted worried and angry parents and community members to answer various questions after asbestos was found inside the school’s heritage building over the school holidays.
A total decontamination was undertaken and school property removed, including library books, but parents only heard the shocking news as their children returned to school for the start of 2020.
Independent hygienist Josh Trahair spoke at the meeting, and tried to put minds at ease, and to assure the roof replacement was done safely, without heightened exposure to the school.
More than 200 dust samples and 2500 surface samples were taken across the school, with three areas testing positive. 400 air monitoring samples were also taken.
“Desks, window sills, carpets all came back negative,” consultant Trahair said.
“There were trace amounts in two samples in Block C and the sports shed, we disposed of it and made the decision to decontaminate.
“Actions taken to dispose of all contents can be perceived as extreme but the department has spared no cost.
“Air monitoring results continue to be negative and the school is safe for occupation. Any exposure is considered to be very low.”
But some weren’t satisfied with the answers, including surrounding neighbours of the school who are worried their kids and families have also been exposed.
“The workers were hosing down pavements and playgrounds the Sunday night before school was due to go back,” he said.
“All that residue that they washed off would be in the streets, the gutters and in the soil.
“God knows what we have been breathing. I’ve got two kids, two kids next door and other families next door and we all have balconies.
“When they are testing areas, they’re not even bothering to check on the neighbours within 15 metres of the site, I find that quite disturbing.”
He wants some admission of liability from the Department of Education.
“Works were done in 1982, they were fully aware of what was up there,” he said.
“What was needed was for it to be open and transparent right from the start.
“We want to find out whether we have been exposed, we’re going to put ourselves on the register.”
Mr Crakanthorp said the way the asbestos was exposed and communicated to the parents was appalling.
“Parents are angry, and rightly so, and they want answers,” he said.
“Parents deserve to have all the facts and information.”
The Minister acknowledged and apologised for the poor handling of the situation, including the communication process at Monday’s meeting.
However, the school community was left with more questions than answers following the two hour information session, Mr Crankthorp said.
“It was disappointing that so many questions, which the department acknowledged it had been receiving since last Tuesday, were left unanswered,” he added.
“The Minister and the Department have now committed to providing a response to all questions by Wednesday afternoon and I will be holding them to this deadline.
Mr Crakanthorp has also called for all known asbestos at the school to be removed.
Ian Andrews who has lived in the area for 12 years, welcomed the Minister’s “sorry” but said the consultation leading up to, and during the consultation period was totally inadequate.
“It demonstrates the department’s lack of duty of care in keeping the school community, including adjoining residents, informed of matters that have been shown to be of public concern and importance,” he said.
“We have endured seven weeks of extended working hours and associated noise in addition to possible contamination which has not been adequately or appropriately addressed by the department.
“The meeting was largely a case of the department justifying their position by telling its audience what they did and to provide comfort to the school community that remediation efforts will allay fears of ongoing contamination.”
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Despite some irate parents and community members, the President of the school’s counsel Lisa Piefke said generally everyone was happy with the way the meeting ended.
“There was a level of comfort,” she said.
“Generally everybody walked away with a much better sense the situation was under control.
“The very last question was about the size of the fibres in the roof that were found, and we were told it can’t get deep into the lungs and cause lung disease, so I think that eased some people’s minds.”
Ultimately though, Ms Piefke wish the situation had been better handled.
“It would have been great if they just closed the school, managed the situation because they only do that when there is danger like a bushfire,” she added.
“It would have been great in terms of giving parents an understanding that they are handling the situation very seriously and doing the best to clear the asbestos.
“The principal tried to do that but the education department said they wouldn’t.”
She will be holding the Department to a 48 hour deadline to come back with answer to all questions.
TIMELINE
2019
Last week of school term 3 - September - Project Update via SkoolBag app with general information regarding roof replacement and further notification of dates and community meetings.
September 30 - Tim Crakanthorp notified Minister of Education - the Department is not aware of any friable asbestos at 19 schools including Newcastle East Public School
Oct 15, 28 - Community meeting regarding roof replacement of heritage building
Nov 18 - Works notification via SkoolBag app outlining the plan to stage the work on the heritage building
Dec 13 - Community meeting regarding roof replacement of heritage building
Dec 18 - Asbestos testing conducted at NEPS campus
Late Dec/Early Jan - Department of Education informed of positive asbestos results
2020
Mid Jan - Some teachers informed of positive test results
Jan 28 - Teachers and support staff informed of positive asbestos results, further testing requested by teachers and testing undertaken, positive samples found in library, library books removed and library cleaned.
Jan 29 - (new school year starts) - 7am clearance certificate issued, teaching and staff meet, 9am remaining parents informed by Department of Education there has been asbestos found on campus, teachers request further validation samples on equipment and resources located throughout the school
Jan 31 - Schools Infrastructures NSW confirms three positive samples returned, air monitoring continues to return negative results, school professionally cleaned again over weekend