Series 02: Alan Gibson Stewart papers, 1987-1989 - Page 483
Primary tabs
Transcription
a9292486.html
230
making a fuss ourselves. Although the official line seemed technically sound, the Water Board's public relations were poor. Their assurances that everything was under control were not good enough. During the campaign, the Libs would play up the threat of swimming in sewerage, and the voters would be inclined to believe them.
Seizing the initiative, we started a petition to Parliament, requesting:
"That the first deepwater submarine outfall to be constructed in Sydney should be installed at the North Head site at Manly for the following reasons: Manly is the prime tourist region in Sydney and the economy depends on this trade to survive; every summer for the past ten years the breaches in the area have been a problem for health reasons and the stage has now been reached where the beaches must be closed due to the untreated sewerage which is brought inshore by the prevailing current."
Actually, there was no evidence that the pollution on the beaches had worsened over the last ten years. On the contrary, the population of the established northern suburbs had stabilized and started to fall, and the newer suburbs in the west were no longer being connected to North Head.
There was also no conclusive evidence of any health caused by sewerage in the surf. Swimmers