Mardi Gras Fair Day will have to be relocated if it is to go ahead following the discovery of asbestos at Victoria Park. The Greens are calling for NSW Government assistance to support the event’s urgent relocation so that it can go ahead this weekend and to ensure that Mardi Gras is not left footing the bill for failed state regulation.
The news comes as the issue of mulch contaminated with both bonded and fibrous asbestos across the landscape escalates, revealing a failing regulatory system.
As stated by Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Amanda Cohn:
“Fair Day is a special day on the calendar for LGBTQIA+ communities so the news it will be cancelled due to the need for asbestos testing at Victoria Park will come as a massive blow.”
“This decision was made in the interest of people’s safety, but it shouldn’t be the end of Fair Day. The NSW Government has the opportunity to show its commitment to diversity and inclusion by directly supporting the event’s relocation.”
“I acknowledge the massive amount of work gone into organising the event and how challenging a relocation will be but the event is too special not to try. I’ve had venues suggested to me like Henson Park, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Sydney Park, or even the closure of King St to hold the event in the roadway,” said Dr Cohn.
As stated by Greens Environment spokesperson Sue Higginson:
“It is important that the Government supports the EPA to do its job to test sites that are connected with mulch suppliers including Greenlife, but the increase in testing staff is only a band-aid solution to what is quickly developing into an environmental crisis that could consume many parks, public lands, schools and playgrounds throughout Sydney,”
“Ultimately, the responsibility for asbestos being spread across these sites rests with the suppliers of the mulch and the NSW Government. However, preventing this from getting worse is a regulatory system issue, we need reform that stops dangerous materials going into reuse materials. We knew this problem was coming and now it’s here,” Ms Higginson said.
