Protesters cite carcinogen cover-up…

New South Wales government ‘suppressed’ report showing carcinogen risk in stadium demolition.

A legal challenge to the New South Wales government’s controversial plan to demolish Sydney’s Allianz Stadium before next month’s state election has heard the government “suppressed” the release of a report showing the site was contaminated with potentially carcinogenic material.

In his opening address Tim Robertson, barrister for Local Democracy Matters – group opposing the demolition, argued the government had failed to exhibit the development application for the required period, didn’t follow design excellence criteria and failed to follow its own rules on contaminated soils.

During the trial on Wednesday, Robertson said the government had “suppressed” information about contamination on the site – pointing to a consultants report prepared for the government which found “carcinogenic” materials on the site, as well as a number of other contaminants.

A draft version of the report was prepared in June – during the exhibition period for the stadium demolition. Robertson told the court the report should have prompted “further investigation” by the government.

“That fact was known by Infrastructure NSW, but suppressed,” he said. “They knew it during the exhibition period.”

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