Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Jess WILSON (Kew – Leader of the Opposition) (17:18): (1569) My adjournment is for the Premier. The action I am seeking is for the Premier to provide assurances to the Kew community that asbestos from the VicRoads redevelopment site at 60 Denmark Street is being handled, stored and removed according to safe asbestos management guidelines. Many local residents have reached out to me to express their concern about the work on the site and sent me photos of uncovered debris that they can only assume is asbestos given it has ‘Caution: Asbestos’ tape around it. They tell me it has been seen left uncovered for many days. I previously raised the community’s frustration with the limited consultation process and the lack of meaningful engagements with those who would be most affected by this project. Residents have felt unheard and sidelined from the decision-making process around the future of the site, so it is entirely understandable that reports of asbestos being visible and left uncovered onsite for many days have caused alarm. These are families who are already living alongside a major construction zone, and they are dealing with demolition noise, dust, heavy vehicle movements and disruption to their daily lives. Parents are walking children past this site, elderly residents live in close proximity and small businesses operate nearby. The community should not be left wondering whether hazardous materials are being managed safely as well. Asbestos is not a minor compliance matter, it carries well-documented, long-term health risks. The community should not have to second-guess whether materials on a government-managed redevelopment site are properly secured. Even the perception that asbestos has been left exposed undermines that confidence, and confidence in this project and in this government is already very fragile.

Residents have asked me to put very reasonable questions to the Premier, including: was the material properly identified and contained? Were licensed removal protocols followed? Was WorkSafe notified? Is air monitoring being conducted, and are the results publicly available? They are practical questions from the community. When the state is overseeing a major redevelopment in the heart of an established residential area, the standard must be exemplary. Compliance must not only occur, but it must be visible and must be transparent. It is not unreasonable for residents to expect that hazardous materials are managed with the utmost diligence. We know that safe asbestos management requires licensed contractors, strict controls and clear notifications to regulators and the community whenever materials are disturbed. This is also required under occupational health and safety regulations and environmental protection law. It is not simply best practice but a legal obligation. So I ask the Premier to provide assurances to the Kew community that asbestos from the VicRoads redevelopment site at 60 Denmark Street is being handled, stored and removed according to safe asbestos management guidelines.