The Leader of the Opposition Kerry Chikarovski and Shadow Environment Minister Peta Seaton slammed the outrageous behaviour of the State Roads Minister in Parliament today, for his unprecedented attack on the community groups and scientific experts who have worked so hard to preserve local air quality around the M5 East emission stack.

'Carl Scully effectively tried to tell residents affected by the M5 East stack that it is fine to breathe particulates, and they should give up and go home', she said.

Carl Scully gave a big 'tick' to particulates today in Parliament', she said.

'He has ignored the fact that particulates are potential carcinogens.

Ms Seaton said the attack was an insult to the hardworking M5 East team, the CSIRO, the many volunteers and specialists who have contributed expert advice to the debate, and to the Hon Peter Wong MLC who sponsored the filtration legislation in the Legislative Council which the Opposition is trying to get debated in the Legislative Assembly.

Ms Seaton said she was stunned by the Minister's cavalier attitude to particulate matter when he proclaimed that if the M5 East stack was filtered it would only remove the particulate matter, not the gases, and therefore should be disregarded.

'Carl Scully has effectively said that the Government does not recognise particulates as a problem or a health danger, and local residents should just put up with it.

"This is absolutely outrageous, and is an attempt to discredit specialist information from people such as the CSIRO who have said the RTA should take action to limit emissions

Prior to the Minister's arrogant attack, Ms Seaton moved a motion in Parliament calling for the Carr Government to pass the dormant filtration bill and acknowledge information from a Norwegian company about realistic costs of installing filtration equipment.

"The Residents Against Polluting Stacks (RAPS) was also victim to the Minister's scorn when he attempted to discredit them and their concerns. He as good as snubbed his nose at Arncliffe residents who have been working hard to gain protection to local air quality.

'I know local parents with children with chronic asthma, who the Minister has essentially said today should just grin and bear it.

Ms Seaton said the Minister's outrageous statement today also called into question his motives in the recent announcement of a buyback for certain houses within a radius of the stack.

'He acknowledged a degree of health risk with that announcement, which he has now discredited with his attack on proponents of filtration'.

Ms Seaton said the people affected by future cross-city tunnel emission stacks will also be alarmed to know of Carl Scully's real opinions about particulates and filtration.

He has turned his back on genuine concerns of local residents, and should either apologise for his arrogance, or resign', she said.

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