DSDBI Forgot About the Bees Again!

On 16 November, a very concerned apiarist, Mr Graham Connell, sent this message to a host of regulators and council and government officers. He received no response. Not an acknowledgement. Not a single "thanks for the email". Definitely not any answers. Nothing.

So yesterday Graham sent a note off - again! - to Mr John Mitas, General Manager Operations, DSDBI to see if anyone in the regulatory authorities was still awake after a tiring election weekend.

 

From:        "Graham Connell" <>

To:        <John.Mitas@dsdbi.vic.gov.au>,

Date:        01/12/2014 10:34 AM

Subject:        quality of water used for dust suppression at MIN 5576

We have had a change of government

We got test results on the trade waste water in a matter of days and as suspected it is trade waste

Please respond asap

I moved the bees in case this foul smelling water killed them.

so sorry it wasn’t happening over the road to your enterprise you may eventually realize the effects its having on people

now we find EPA harassing a chemical free farmer for having compost on his farm

have a good look at your selves and just do the right thing

Graham Connell

04** *** ***

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After having to surprisingly remind Mr Mitas to respond - Mr Mitas is renowned in these parts for his usually rapid responses to concerned members of the community and for his upholding of the Mines Act 1958 Mineral Resources Sustainable Development Act 1990 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2004 2007, and also as a member of the ever-expansive and helpful 'whole of government' phalanx - Mr Connell eventually received the following effusive reply. It's the only reply so far.

(Everything's okay apparently because DSDBI are "arranging" things. How about doing things for a change, eh? The right things. As Graham noted in his email, the residents have already done their own testing.)

From Mr John Mitas: 

Graham

Thank you for your email.

We are investigating the matters you raise including arranging further sampling.

The Department  will be in contact with you once results are available.

Regards

John Mitas | General Manager Operations | Earth Resources Regulation

Department of State Development, Business and Innovation

Level 9, 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

P: +61 3 909 22044 | F: +61 3 90922056 | M: 0418506172

E: John.Mitas@dsdbi.vic.gov.au | W: www.energyandresources@vic.gov.au

***

What is it, exactly, that these people have been doing? 

Arranging? More like re-arranging... deck chairs...