PORT KEMBLA REGION LEUKAEMIA
The Hon. ELAINE NILE: I direct my question without notice to the Minister for Community Services, Minister for Aged Services, and Minister for Disability Services, representing the Minister for Health. Are four former Warrawong High School students and their teacher from Gerringong among residents diagnosed with leukaemia? Three of those former students, Samah Maarbani, Jimmy Veljanovski and Goce Ilioski, have already died, while Melissa Crestiano and teacher Robert Churton have put their hope for life in bone marrow transplants. As at 6 September the number of young people diagnosed with this disease had grown to 10. What is the Government doing to expedite the investigations that are already taking place? What urgent action is the Government taking to protect the health of students and residents in the Port Kembla region? Will the Government confirm that these deaths do not relate to the 1989 spraying of pesticides which, at that time, closed Warrawong High School? This problem has persisted for quite some time.
The Hon. R. D. DYER: The Hon. Elaine Nile has obviously raised a matter of great concern. I shall convey her question to my colleague the Minister for Health and endeavour to obtain a full and prompt response for her.