Let the public read the tests for themselves and decide whether their children are at risk Well, what appeared a fairly minor story yesterday is obviously of greater significance than we all at first thought.
Reports yesterday that CSIRO tests show that there are thousands of school classrooms in New South Wales equipped with unflued gas heaters.
Representatives from the organisation COUGH, the Campaign Opposing Unflued Gas Heating, rang my programme yesterday to say there were 51,000 of these unflued gas heaters in New South Wales classrooms.
Now while there would be many who say it's not as bad as some are making out, parents are entitled to know that when they place their children in school in winter, they're not placing them at risk.
New South Wales Health Department advice from May 2004 argues, "A poorly installed heater or a heater in a room with a lack of fresh air can cause excessive levels of CO (carbon monoxide) and can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
"Many people can experience flu-like symptoms from moderate carbon monoxide exposure, while at even lower levels of exposure susceptible people can also experience chest pain.
"Exposure to very high concentrations of carbon monoxide can result in death."
Now the public are entitled to know whether the Department of Education does have reports which it's kept secret which alert the Government to concerns about the safety of school classrooms in winter, windows closed and unflued gas heaters at full bore.
The reports yesterday argued that CSIRO tests show that turning the heaters up can fill rooms with carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and formaldehyde fumes if the windows are shut.
The Government will argue that the heaters are safe if used correctly, whatever that means.
But presumably it means it's as cold as charity outside so you shove the heaters on, but to use them correctly you leave all the doors and windows open.
Then there was the story that the gas levels in 30 per cent of rooms in Blackheath Public School exceeded international health guidelines.
Parents there were promised the results when they were finalised last August, but only received them this month.
And if the CSIRO tests prove there's no problem, why has the Department of Education kept them secret.
We don't need another inquiry.
Release the CSIRO results today, and not a day later.
Verity Firth is the Education Minister.
She has to do better than just laugh this off.
If these things which appear benign produce gas by-products that are harmful to health; if they've been banned in most of the Western democratic world; if they're banned because the gas by-products affect the respiratory systems of human beings, especially children.
And if they're banned in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland, what the hell is the New South Wales Government doing sitting on its hands and withholding critical information, the results of CSIRO tests, from parents.
Indeed far from laughing it off, some have written to me to say that more than 90 per cent of heaters in homes are unflued gas, so the problem could be far more widespread than imagined.
In Victoria in 2000 five people died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas heater.
Three in a caravan heated with an unflued gas heater, and two in a room where a flued gas heater had a leaking flue.
Two studies found that where there were higher levels of nitrogen dioxide, there were higher incidences of asthma symptoms, colds and sore throats.
The first step to be taken by Verity Firth, the Education Minister, is simple.
Answer two questions.
Are there CSIRO tests in the possession of the Department of Education?
Why have they been kept secret for nine months?
And let the public read the tests for themselves and decide whether their children are at risk.
It's one thing for Governments to be out of touch.
It's another thing to keep from the electorate information which they're entitled to to protect their own health and that of their children.
This matter must be resolved immediately.
