gslc submission

events. Essentially, this hall is used by school children and other members of the public every
weekday from 6.30am until after 5pm.

The school and public swimming pool directly abutting the boundary is in use most weekdays and
Saturdays, with swimming squad training beginning very early morning, then baby and toddler
swimming lessons take place there all morning, then there is afternoon squad training in the
afternoon and sometimes events running through into the evening.

The primary school carpark and school bus pick up and drop off area also directly abuts the
boundary.

These facilities are easily within 50m of the refuelling canopy, essentially used all day by babies,
school children and members of the public. It is disingenuous of the proponent to fudge that the
the separation distance of 100m that applies to the school classrooms, which is deemed as
sufficient to neutralise/dilute benzene particulates is the same as the separation distance from
these regularly used facilities.

Benzene is an internationally recognised human carcinogen (World Heath Organisation), and at its
worst is a known causal factor in the development of leukaemia. Studies state that 100m is the
minimum distance recommended to dilute airborne hazards for the general community and that
those more vulnerable to airborne pollution including children, the elderly and the infirm require a
larger separation distance from the refuelling canopy. Children participating in sports and fitness
activities should not be inhaling benzene particulates as they exercise. I encourage Council to
exercise a duty of care in relation to these children and their current and future health.

5. High traffic areas on pedestrian footpath adjacent to a school

School children (and parents with strollers and busy toddlers) using the pedestrian footpath along
the Eumundi Noosa Road will have to contend with crossing a busy service station entry and exit
point. Older school children may find the service station a convenient and attractive place to walk
to to buy drinks and food after school hours, making the footpath, busier, more chaotic, and
potentially dangerous. Children do not have fully developed peripheral vision, and can make poor
and impulsive decisions regarding their movement in traffic. As adults of the community we need to
make every endeavour to protect them from traffic dangers.

Currently the school grounds is a bit of an island, parents and staff of the school all know one
another, and unknown people on the school grounds can be easily identified. As the relative of a
young boy in Cairns who was once doused with petrol and set alight in his schoolyard, (the petrol
having been purchased from a nearby fuel station) I am aware that sometimes the most
unimaginable things can happen and of the tragic and dreadful consequences that result. A high
traffic service station directly next to the school brings numerous people entirely unrelated to the
school community to the location all day, every day. Whilst most people of course do not pose a
threat to children, it is a most unfortunate fact of our society that some people do. Children should
not be put at additional, unnecessary risk.

6. Failure of school to provide reasonable information to the school parent community of
   the proposal

Whilst the Lutheran Church of Queensland and Good Shepherd Lutheran College were not legally
required to consult the parent community, it beggars belief that there was not clear information and
an opportunity for open discussion provided to staff and parents with regard to the proposal. In all
likelihood had this occurred, the parent views regarding the proposal would made resulted in the
Lutheran Church of Queensland not providing consent to the development. Why the school
administration and Lutheran Church of Queensland did not anticipate that building a petrol station
immediately adjacent to the school would be of huge concern to both parents and students, I
simply cannot understand.