New TLAP Executive Director in New Direction on Lead

04 Jun 2021

The South Australian Government and Nyrstar are pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Dolan as Executive Director of the Targeted Lead Abatement Program (TLAP) in Port Pirie.

Mr Dolan previously held the position of Director, Regulation with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and has a wealth of expertise in protecting communities and the environment.

“The appointment of Peter Dolan as the Executive Director of TLAP highlights the Marshall Government’s determination to lower lead levels in Port Pirie,” said Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

“The framework we inherited from the previous Government to deal with lead in Port Pirie made some progress, but the results are not good enough for the community, myself and Nyrstar.”

“That’s why I’ve worked with Nyrstar to agree a new direction for our important partnership.

“We are determined to deliver improvements for the people of Port Pirie, and the new direction will be enhanced by more fully involving the community and the Port Pirie Regional Council – and we have the right leader to make this happen.”

“Peter Dolan brings outstanding experience to the role and will be key to scaling up our efforts to lower lead levels in Port Pirie as we implement this new direction.

“Peter will be tasked with implementing the new direction from the independent review of the TLAP program.

“I’m also very pleased that Peter will live in Port Pirie and involve the community and the council more fully.”

“Peter will have direct access to the highest levels of State Government and Nyrstar management to make the changes needed for the community in Port Pirie.

“We owe it to the families of Port Pirie to improve on the previous government’s system.

“I want to thank everyone who’s worked so hard on TLAP since its inception, but I’m determined we will make more progress from now on.’’

TLAP is a 10-year program established in 2014 with the key objective of reducing Lead in Blood (LIB) levels of children in Port Pirie. In 2020 the Government commissioned an independent, broad-scale review of TLAP.

The Port Pirie Regional Council will be invited to join TLAP’s new governance structure.

With Mr Dolan’s appointment, the existing TLAP independent chair, Ms Julie Mitchell, will step down following an appropriate transition. Both the government and Nyrstar wish to acknowledge and thank Ms Mitchell for her leadership of TLAP since 2014 and the progress made during that time.

Mr Dolan will commence his new role on Monday, July 12, and more information about the planned improvements will be shared publicly very soon.