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A Healthier Latrobe Valley Thanks To Health Study

13 February 2017

The Hazelwood Long Term Health Study is continuing to provide vital insight into how best to improve the health and wellbeing of the Latrobe Valley community in the wake of the Hazelwood Mine Fire.

The Andrews Labor Government today received the CSIRO Air Quality Modelling report assessing the potential impact of exposure to smoke during the mine fire.

While the health impacts of carbon monoxide are already well understood, this report and the Hazelwood Long Term Health study includes the analysis of potential health effects of carbon monoxide, other criterion pollutants and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

The CSIRO report provides important information that will be used as part of the Government’s work to provide better health services for those that were exposed to the mine fire smoke.

More than $80 million has been invested by the Labor Government to support the community and implement the recommendations of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry reports.

This includes establishing the independent Latrobe Health Assembly and the Latrobe Health Advocate, which will work together to use the data collected through the Long Term Health Study to plan and develop targeted health services and improvement programs that put the health of Latrobe Valley residents front and centre.

Already we have established both the Mine Fire Health Clinic and Public Lung Function Clinic and funded an additional 1000 hours of respiratory nursing at Latrobe Community Health Service.

The Latrobe Health Assembly will drive health improvement across the Valley by bringing the community, health agencies, local and state government together to work side-by-side.

The community will be included every step of the way in designing and delivering health services and improvement programs tailored to best meet the needs of families in the Valley, now and into the future.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy

“We reopened the Mine Fire Inquiry because we knew that community concerns about their health and well-being still had not been heard.”

“We know more needs to be done to ensure greater community engagement, advocacy and transparency – that’s why we’re continuing to work to rebuild trust and provide the information and health services the people of the Valley need and deserve.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“We promised to rebuild the health of the Valley by working side-by-side with the community – and we’re doing just that.”

“The strengthened Long Term Health Study is delivering vital information to health agencies, the community and the new Latrobe Valley Assembly and Advocate to improve health outcomes of current and future generations.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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