Dear Editor,

I am deeply concerned about the growing issue of contaminated sites in New South Wales, particularly redundant petrol stations and historical fossil fuel industry activities.

My name is Ted Pickering, and I had the honour of serving in the NSW Legislative Council for nearly two decades.

It’s alarming to note that there are currently 794 contaminated redundant petrol station sites in NSW, with potentially 130,000 more contaminated sites throughout the state.

The situation is expected to worsen with the rise of electric vehicles, resulting in an additional 1,800 redundant petrol stations over the next eight years.

I firmly believe that retrospective legislation is urgently needed to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for remediating these sites. We should return to the original requirement for remediation after two years of redundancy, with the responsibility falling squarely on the fossil fuel companies that operated these sites.

The financial implications of addressing these contaminated sites are substantial, with a conservative estimate reaching $30.6 billion. Given the historical role of the fossil fuel industry in creating these sites, it is only fair and just that they bear both the moral and legal responsibility for their cleanup.

My campaign aims to raise public awareness and challenge the influence of the fossil fuel industry. I believe that the media’s support and endorsement are pivotal in championing this cause. I urge the community to join me in advocating for a cleaner and safer environment for all.

Please write to your local member of parliament to support this campaign.

Sincerely, The Hon. Ted Pickering

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)