Chief health officer looks into Bellarine cancer data

VICTORIA’S acting Chief Health Officer is conducting an analysis of publicly available cancer data for the Bellarine to provide local residents further assurances there are no public health issues.

It follows a number of media reports that have raised concerns within the community about possible soil contaminaton at sites across the Bellarine, including Bellarine Secondary College’s Drysdale campus.

Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville said when these concerns were first raised by a number of residents previously, soil testing was carried out by a number of agencies including the EPA, Worksafe and the Department of Education and Training.

Ms Neville said these tests had all found there to be no risk to the health of residents or students.

She said tests carried out before the construction of the local school also found the land was suitable for school use. However, to provide the utmost reassurance to the local community, the acting Chief Health Officer is conducting an analysis of data for the Bellarine.

“Following some media reports in recent weeks, I have been contacted by a number of local residents who raised concerns about public health across the Bellarine,” Ms Neville said.

“There has already been significant work done to ensure there are no issues across the Bellarine, however this further analysis with give the community the assurance they deserve.”

Ms Neville said this preliminary analysis already indicated no unusual excess of cancers thought to be associated with dieldrin – a pesticide used by potato famers on the land before it was banned in the 1980s. The land was transferred to state ownership in the 1990s. Ms Neville also said there did not appear to be an unusual excess of cancers of the main type that have been reported in the media – namely leukaemias or lymphomas.

She said it is also normal – by chance alone – to find areas and groups who may have higher rates than average and others with lower rates.

Families with specific concerns are advised to raise these directly by contacting either the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or Cancer Council Victoria as there are established procedures to investigate any concerns. A final report on this will be publicly available shortly once this analysis is complete.

For more information, phone the DHHS Environmental Health Line on 1300 761 874.