Landfills have exploded

This is a letter I have sent via email to a DHS rep in response to this article.

Cranbourne Leader, Wednesday October 1st.

EPA chairman Mick Bourke says the Brookland Greens gas leak debacle could be the worst of its kind in the world.

On Thursday, Mr Bourke told the Leader EPA research had failed to uncover a landfill gas leak matching the scale of the Cranbourne crisis.

“We are searching Australia to see if there have been any other incidences, but we still haven’t found any at present,” he said.

“This sort of thing has occurred overseas, and the landfills have exploded, but we are still trying to find one of this scope and scale, to the extent of affecting up to 400 homes.”

Mr Bourke said an EPA safety probe into disused tips around the state would be completed this week.

“We’re still working solidly through the assessment across landfills around Victoria to ensure people have confidence that other sites aren’t having the same problems as Brookland Greens,” he said.

“We’ve had some enquiry and the general mood in the community is that people want to be confident they are safe. This is an added security.”

My email

Hi *****, ***** is not working today, she advised my husband yesterday to contact you if we needed anything. I arrived home late last night to read in my local paper, "This sort of thing has occurred overseas , and the landfills have exploded, but we are still trying to find one of this scope and scale , to the extent of affecting up to 400 homes" This was quoted as being said by the EPA Chairman Mr Mick Bourke.

***** what are the EPA saying, that there is a possibility it could explode? The CFA have said at the street meetings that that isn't a risk as there needs to be an ignition source and in the ground there isn't one. How did these other landfills explode.....I am really scared and upset, I am unsure if we are safe and being provided with all of the information. This is distressing, so I wanted to contact you to clarify if this information is correct. If it is and the EPA is saying their is a risk of an explosion, we want to leave now.

I want my brain to stop thinking

Today I contacted the manager at DHS by text message, asking for the number of the new case manager, no issues, I just realised I didn't have a contact number.

I have returned home from an 11 hour day of work to find a message written by my husband that contains the number for the case manager, that she is not back until Monday and the number for some trauma counselling.....I want my brain to have a day off too! Every second I get the chance I am searching www.realestate.com.au I don't know what this is going to achieve, but I feel so helpless. I have never felt like that before....oh ok, when the twins were born I did! Actually that was worse!

Sleeping is restless, I feel strung out, like I've had too many coffees, my concentration levels are low and my psoriasis has gone crazy. Some days I wake as if I never slept. The other day I tossed and turned so much in bed I whacked my head on the corner of the beside table....Geez it hurt.

But apparently there are no health effects from the methane, there will be no claim based upon trauma......so it doesn't matter, just another thing, along with the methane that we have to learn to live with.

Is there any humanity?

I am just disgusted at this article in the Herald Sun today.

"Dimity Barber

October 01, 2008 02:35pm

BUYERS trying to cash in on panicked home owners are making half-price offers to houses affected by a potentially explosive gas leak.

Real estate buyers are targeting the Brookland Greens estate in the hope of picking up a bargain in the wake of the methane gas fiasco.

But property experts are urging residents to sit tight and ride out the storm.

Cranbourne real estate agents last week said they had been receiving dozens of calls from investors and speculators in search of a steal.

Raine and Horne agent Andy White said the gas leak had killed genuine sales calls and brought the bargain hunters out of the woodwork.

“Some people think they can pay half price. Investors are looking for a bargain because of the situation,” he said.

Another estate agent, who asked to remain anonymous, said speculators were driving around the estate offering cash for houses.

“Some people seem to think this is a fire sale. We’re getting inquiries from people wanting to get a $400,000 house for $200,000. Absolute idiots,” the agent said.

Read more of the story in the Cranbourne Leader."

Begging....please landlord can I have a place to sleep?

This is the letter I have written to the agent who we have applied to for a rental property.

"I am writing in relation to our recent application for the above rental property. I have discussed our application with one of your property managers in some detail, but wanted to provide further information.

We currently rent at Brookland Greens in Cranbourne, where we are approx 15 metres from the landfill site. We obviously need to relocate to another area, particularly as my son is at greater risk due to having a condition called Chronic Lung Disease. Although if you were to meet him, you would never guess, however a simple cold can put him in hospital.

We also have some particular requirements, which are making it difficult to locate a property. We run a home based business where we sell children’s party supplies online. (http://www.blissfulkidsparties.com.au) This income pays for our children to attend ****** School. We don’t have any customers attend our home, but we store our stock in our 3 car garage.

Trying to locate a suitable property is a real difficulty in the current rental market, this is the only property that we have seen that is suitable. We understand from your property manager that you are currently undergoing a VCAT process to obtain possession, and that given these circumstances you are unable to provide any dates that the property will be available and are not processing applications

However in the interim, I am requesting, actually I am begging! That our application be processed, so that you can see we have a good rental history and potentially things will happen rather quickly when it becomes available. We are willing to wait, as it is unlikely another property will become available during that time.

Seen as we are relocating from out current property due to the methane leak, the Department of Human Services has agreed to pay *** per week towards our rent This would mean that our rent would not increase from what we are currently paying. We are confident after that period that we will be able to sustain that increase, we are good long term tenants who want some stability for our children.

Further to this we are willing to offer 2 months rent for the bond deposit. I am sure that after the current landlords experience they will be nervous, so we are willing to provide some added security. Although we are confident it will never be needed!

We just really need to know that we will have somewhere to live, even if there is a wait.

Sincerely '"

Do you think that will make any difference? I don't know what else we can do.....

I've left it too long...too much happening and not enough sleep

Well, I think I have lost weight from the stress. My jeans are falling down, seriously. Not a bad thing given I am overweight, but not a great reason to be loosing it either :-

I've left this posting too long, so am going to summarize what has been happening.

Wednesday 1st October
We looked at a house in Mornington, it was too small and the travel too far from my work, my husbands work and family. We would really be out on our own.

Craig from DHS rang regarding our case manager, we have a new one. Not sure how long this will last given what we negotiated below.

The shadow minister for housing rang to check that we were receiving the support we need. Not sure if we are, our lives are in the hands of rental investors at the moment.

Tuesday 31st September
We looked at 3 houses today, none suitable. We rang several agents, no suitable listings. I also finally posted the letter to our landlord requesting a rental reduction.

Chris from DHS rang to advise we had no case manager and to contact him in the interim.

We also lodged an application for a house in Langwarrin. We wont know for about a week though, if we are successful.

Monday 30th September
We had a meeting with the head manager of DHS managing the EMT, a manager from DHS Southern Region, the CISS manager and my husband, who walked in on the middle of it. It seems that my lobbying has made some waves and I received a reaction! I highlighted our issues in receiving no support looking for a property, the lack of flexibility with the relocation grant and concerns that the rental market was so high that we would be in the same situation in 6 months time when DHS stopped paying any gaps in rent from what we pay now. I managed to get that extended somewhat, however it is really just delaying the inevitable, unless I work more!! Groan!!!!!

DHS also agreed that a case manager who was allocated from Complex Care at DHS would assist in the looking for a property, not just sending text messages asking how the house hunting was going. We also provided some feedback on the current communications.

Today also the monitoring people came and took away the carbon dioxide monitor, saying there may be a replacement tomorrow. I informed CISS and DHS that we would be in a hotel overnight if there was no monitor. One was returned that afternoon. I don't understand why this keeps happening and why the communication is so poor.

Today I also contacted the State Ombudsman, the conversation went like this
Me: "can you please"advise what the terms of reference are for the investigation into the Brookland Greens Methane leak"
Investigation worker: "There are no terms of reference and they would be private and not be released to the public"
Me: "how do I know what information you may want then?"
Investigation worker: "That's a good question we are not sure what information we may need, is there anything you would like to advise us?"
Me: "I am concerned about how this crisis has been managed, for example City of Casey workers giving tenants incorrect information about breaking their leases, City of Casey workers taking information like our urgent need for a monitor on a list and then it not going anywhere til the next day...."
Investigation worker: "Would you like to put your concerns in writing?"
Me: "So you want me to put everything in writing, wasting my time when you may not want that type of information?"

We need an open public inquiry into this disaster........

Second call....to Counsellor Kevin Bradshaw, who works for a state govt MP. I tried to ascertain if his working position would influence his decision making on council. He advised it wouldn't, however I do think he should declare these interests more clearly.

Third Call....to Inga Peulich, South Eastern Metro Region MP. Advised of current issues.

Fourth Call....to Jude Perrera, State MP, advised of need for a public inquiry, informed about discussion with ombudsman's office. They were just defensive of their stance that the Ombudsman would be sufficient.

Call from Shadow housing minister, wanting to clarify current situation.

Exhausted..........just want somewhere to live so this can become a distant memory.