MP FEARS MINISTERIAL MEDDLING
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur has again raised the threatened dumping of contaminated soil on Bacchus Marsh in Parliament. Following her Constituency Question and Adjournment Debate on Tuesday, Mrs McArthur questioned the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Parliament’s Upper House.
Mrs McArthur said: “One of the worst aspects of this whole business is the Government’s threat to overrule the local planning process. I believe the Minister is preparing to use his powers under Section 20(4) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to bypass the normal rules and impose an approval. It would be a sham. I’ve seen at first-hand how strongly the community in Bacchus Marsh feels, and to see that overridden by a politician inside the tram-tracks in Melbourne would make a mockery of the whole process.”
In Parliament Mrs McArthur asked Gavin Jennings, Special Minister of State:
“Minister, will the Mooorabool Shire Council be in a position to refuse the government’s plan to dump toxic waste, or will the government override legitimate council and community concerns?”
Mr Jennings replied [please see full exchange attached]:
“What I can say is that the government will not override legitimate concerns or the appropriate authority to make any decision.”
Mrs McArthur has since stated:
“I am far from reassured by this response. I worry that the Government will consider their own Planning Minister in Melbourne the appropriate authority, not the local council elected to take this decision by the people of Bacchus Marsh. It’s absolutely wrong that this could happen, endangering the health of the community, the environment and the agricultural produce of Bacchus Marsh, just because Labor can’t competently manage a construction project.”
“I’ve been so impressed by the community’s efforts so far, from the huge attendance at public meetings to the principled stand the soccer club has taken in returning sponsorship from Maddingley Brown Coal. Their organised and unified response really will make the Andrews Government think again about this shoddy plan.”
6 March 2020