Several hundred people attended a rally at Turrella to protest against the unfiltered M5East stack for the second consecutive Saturday. Demonstrators have also picketed the stack site every morning during the week. Although the business was serious there was a carnivale atmosphere with a mock funeral, dancing, and a hilarious interview with a "Mr Scully" effigy. People from different cultures - Arabic, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Asian etc., showed a strong sense of community in their determination to unite against the toxic stack. Miles Mooney, from the Irish Drover's group entertained the crowd and introduced his new anti-stack song especially written for the occasion.

The demonstrations saw people from different groups across Sydney, such as North Side Sewage and Cross City tunnel stacks join with local residents. Councillors from Canterbury and Marrickville councils and Upper House members, the Hon Arthur Chesterfield Evans.(Democrat) and the Hon John Ryan (Libs). Dr Peter Wong(Unity Party) sent a deputy in his place who made himself readily accessible to the residents, and Lee Rhiannon (Greens) sent her regrets. Both members of the Upper House together with Richard Jones MLC (Independent) had joined the demonstrators on Wednesday morning in their vigil outside the gates of the construction site. Arthur Chesterfield-Evans confirmed that it had been a political decision to locate the stack in a valley and that it was a decision "overriding advice - a silly decision from the point of view of experts." Dr Evans said that although it was sensible to reduce pollution at its source (i.e. vehicles) the government had not got the political courage.

"It is a credit to RAPS that they have found experts around the world and told the government's what's available. Government flunkies, their paid experts and glossy reports - they are all patronising the community." Dr Evan said that the Labor Government was showing a contempt for open government and that the Upper House was against that sort of thing. "They want 100% power," he said. We have an RTA which is engineering driven. The stack has been condemned by the parliamentary inquiry and overseas' experts but Dr Doolittle - the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning - which had discretionary powers just rubber
stamped the unfiltered stack. "We can get enough pressure to get it filtered. The solution needs to produce a safe environment for the citizens. That's what's been neglected.

The demonstrators were especially angry that DUAP's D.G, Sue Holliday appears to be blaming Sydney's pollution problems on south west Sydney. There are plans to buy up wood fire burners and barbeques which have been cynically blamed for causing the area's pollution problems. This denies the fact that the area is heavily polluted because of its proximity to Sydney Airport and will be more so with a promised increase in traffic along Earlwood's main streets when the motorway opens. Mark Curran, RAPS said,"As well as being laughable. This idea strikes at the Aussie icon - the backyard barbeque. Even more seriously it's hitting at the rights of the individual to enjoy themselves. It's like saying well, we'll do away with road accidents by innoculating children." Mr Curran stated that according to the Department of Health's own figures, more people die prematurely from the effects of Sydney's pollution than as victims of road accidents.

Residents are also incensed that Ms Holliday is attempting to shift the focus from the stack demonstration by suggesting that demonstrations are against the M5East motorway. Although she argues that she has had expert, independent scientific advice. she has chosen to ignore the warnings of a CSIRO report that was commissioned by DUAP.and which questions RTA figures and methods of obtaining those figures - the most serious being the underestimation of the carcinogen, PM10 by more that 100% and the ignoring of local wind patterns which occur 50% of the time.

Other residents vented their anger at the rally. Jann Dann, of Earlwood is especially incensed about the government's lack of duty of care. "We demand the Labor Party gives us clean air. It's criminal what they are doing, absolutely criminal." Hilary Dwyer, Earlwood feels let down by State Representative "Kevin Moss, where are you? Are you breathing clean air?"

Residents vowed to take their protest to Parliament House next Wednesday 30th August, where the issue is expected to be debated in the Upper House. A rally is planned for 10.00am, and everyone is urged to attend.