Ep. 2011-5: Asbestos Contamination, Wetlands and new Free Trade Agreement for the Pacific

Broadcast on 24th February 2011 9-9.30am on 2SER 107.3fm in Sydney.
With Simon Unwin and Jessica Minshall
Download Show: 2011- 5: Asbestos Contamination, Wetlands and new Free Trade Agreement for the Pacific

Abandoned asbestos mine at Woodsreef (NSW Ombudsman's office). 

Asbestos Contamination in Aboriginal Communities

A couple of weeks ago we brought you a story on asbestos contamination in NSW; particularly, the reaction of residents in the former asbestos-mining town of Barraba in northwest NSW to the state Ombudsman’s report on asbestos contamination issues.

The Ombudsman’s report also made mention of the heightened risk of asbestos exposure borne by Aboriginal communities in NSW. Third Degree's Simon Unwin speaks with Damien Matcham, CEO of Kutungal Aboriginal Medical Service on the far South Coast. 

Trade Justice - TPPA in Chile

Australia is deep in talks for a new all expansive free trade agreement with the United States and other nations. The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement talks were held last week in Santiago, Chile. For Australia, this agreement has the potential to reopen all of the areas of concern raised by the Aus-USA Free Trade Agreement ten years ago. Third Degree's Jessica Minshall talks to Harvey Purse, Trade Justice Campaigner with Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) about this new free trade agreement.

Wetlands

Third Degree's Hannah Walters speaks with Tom Raynor, Research Fellow with the Australian Wetlands and Rivers Centre at UNSW about the “environmental” side of recent flood story in western NSW and had a basic science lesson about the positive effects on the plants and animals in the Macquarie Marshes, one of the states largest and most significant wetlands.