Did the Westsider get it wrong?
I am writing to you with regards to your seriously misleading article about Techno Park Drive. Which Techno Park Drive did your photographer visit for their photos? Obviously not the one where any people live! Techno Park Drive is a ‘U ‘ shaped road with 2 entrances onto Kororoit Creek Road. It looks like they just drove into the back of Techno Park Drive next door to the tank farm and went no further! And then to say ‘as you enter Techno Park Drive the Mobil Tanks are instantly visible‘! How ridiculous! If you drive in the other entrance where people live the tanks are not visible!
Your cover photo of the November 23 issue is promising. These are Techno Park residents in Techno Park Drive but on p5 this turns to mud. In the body of this article it says ‘some residents however are not optimistic about rezoning or the suitability of Techno Park Drive for a non-industrial purpose‘. This is preposterous. Which residents would they be ? I am a resident of Techno Park Drive and I’ve never met such people. We are here because we found it an affordable, pleasant, if little known place to live and we are certainly optimistic about its future!
The article also quotes Mr Geoff Mitchelmore former senior scientist of the oil and gas industry and volunteer on Mobil’s community liaison group for the past 20 years as saying ‘if you realised what was underneath it you wouldn’t want your kids playing there’ without mentioning that Mr Mitchelmore is referring to the refinery site and not Techno Park Drive. Trees and gardens have no trouble growing in Techno Park Drive I can assure you!
Lastly I would say that the Drone Footage of Hobsons Bay council credit Bridget Novak on p5 is equally incomprehensible. What is depicted here? Certainly nothing recognisable.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Helen Sinnema
A Techno Park Drive resident
Editor reply: The Westsider sought clarity from Mr Geoff Mitchelmore who confirmed that areas nearby to the Altona refinery, including Techno Park Drive and JT Gray reserve could possibly be contaminated. He said it’s difficult to know for sure as he’s not certain that Mobil have even tested the sites. Mobil has not responded to Westsider inquiries about this issue.
The Westsider gets it right?
Congratulations to the Westsider Team for producing such an entertaining and informative newspaper.
I appreciate your coverage of local Westside events and issues which are reported on in a comprehensive, concise and factual manner. Social, political and environmental issues relevant to locals are addressed with empathy, respect and genuine understanding.
Most of all I love the accessibility of the Westsider, a free newspaper of a quality that surpasses that of any of the daily papers.
Regards
Nick Bikeman
Footscray
