Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award Recipient 2002

Dot Hesse

Dot Hesse made an outstanding contribution to improving environmental health and reducing industrial pollution.

Dot is one of Western Australia’s original toxic campaigners, operating effectively for many years in one of the toughest neighbourhoods, the Kwinana industrial strip.  She has earned respect from all sides of the debate - residents, workers, environmentalists, industry chiefs and the Government.  She has tirelessly communicated to Government and industry the need and the ways to achieve better environmental controls in the Kwinana region.

Dot’s skills as a campaigner include meticulous research, media skills and the ability to conduct high-level negotiations.  She is equally comfortable giving speeches or blockading sites, driving community campaigns or grilling a minister.

Dot has achieved many unsung victories for communities facing the impacts of industrial waste and pollution.  She has been at the forefront of raising community awareness about emissions, risk and waste issues at Alcoa, Nufarm, Tiwest, the Motoplex, Cockburn Cement, ToxFree, Global Olivine incinerator, CSBP and numerous other facilities.

Dot drove the campaign for the safe destruction of WA’s PCB stockpiles.  She has also pushed for safe disposal and containment of contaminated waste from Vela Luka Park, Alcoa’s red mud dams and industrial effluent from BP Refinery.