Waste and recycling management
Ella GEORGE (Lara) (09:59): Today I rise to speak on an incredibly important local issue that is impacting the community of Lara. Prospect Hill International’s proposed waste-to-energy facility in Lara is extremely concerning for residents in my electorate and the wider Geelong community. The proposed facility is designed to process 400,000 tonnes of waste per year, and since 2020 my community has been fighting against this project. Along with hundreds of written objections, community members have attended forums and organised rallies, and thousands have signed a petition objecting to this project. The community is concerned about many aspects of this project, particularly the safety issues it raises, the proximity of the proposed plant to local households and the effects it will have on air quality and noise pollution. It is important to note that the closest home is only 350 metres away from this project. The centre of the township of Lara is just 1.2 kilometres away, and there are thousands of homes in the suburbs of Lara and Corio, some within 1.5 kilometres of the site. Hundreds of local residents have raised concerns with me through emails and phone calls to my office and in conversations that I have had. I would like to acknowledge the community members, including Charles Street, Les Dew, Annie Duncan, Melanie Szocs and many others, who are working tirelessly to advocate against this proposal and advocate for their community, and I am proud to stand with them. The Committee for Geelong has resolved not to support this project, and the City of Greater Geelong have publicly stated that they are not supportive of this project and would not use this facility for council waste.