Contractors have washed their hands of Rozelle asbestos mess

Tuesday 30 January 2024

One month after asbestos contamination was first reported at Rozelle Parklands, the contractors who built the park, John Holland and CPB, are still arrogantly refusing to meet with the local community to discuss the remediation and reopening of the park.

Having made a fortune in profits from the Rozelle Interchange, these internationally owned entities are now trying to wash their hands of the contamination problem they left behind.

These contractors have also yet to provide a specific timeline for the reopening of the park, which could be closed for many months to come.

Worse still, they are arrogantly refusing to even consult residents or engage with local representatives to discuss this public health threat.

Earlier this month, I wrote to the CEO of John Holland, Joe Barr, and the Managing Director of CPB, Jason Spears, requesting that they meet with me onsite in Rozelle to discuss the remediation and reopening of the Parklands.

Neither of these highly remunerated executives have even bothered to reply, let alone come to Rozelle to take responsibility for the mess they have left us.

This total lack of accountability is a continuation of the disrespectful way they have treated residents around the Rozelle Interchange for the last half-decade.

In addition, Greenlife Resource Recovery, the suppliers of the mulch at Rozelle Parklands and other sites across Sydney where asbestos contamination has been discovered, are similarly refusing to take responsibility for the situation.

Greenlife have hired a corporate public relations firm to help them pre-empt the EPA investigation assert that they bear no responsibility at all for the contamination.

The finger pointing from all these unaccountable commercial enterprises shows a complete disregard for our local community and does nothing to help get the Parklands safely reopened.

For media enquiries please contact Jonny Browne, Jonny.Browne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au