West Gate Tunnel
Ms McLEISH (Eildon) (11:15): My question is to the Minister for Education. The principal of Bacchus Marsh Grammar, Andrew Neal, told the Moorabool News last September that if Maddingley Brown Coal began storing household waste at its Tilleys Road site, located just over 1 kilometre from the school, the school would have no choice but to relocate. Will the minister guarantee to parents, students and staff of Bacchus Marsh Grammar that the Maddingley Brown Coal site will not become a toxic waste dump for Labor’s botched West Gate Tunnel Project?
Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education) (11:16): I thank the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party for her question, and I would simply say that discussions with the community are ongoing. No decisions are being made. I am not going to pontificate on a hypothetical that the deputy leader is putting to this chamber. Decisions have not been made. Communication and consultation with community is ongoing.
Ms McLEISH (Eildon) (11:16): In the February 2020 newsletter of Bacchus Marsh Grammar principal Andrew Neal wrote:
I have had a significant number of members of the school community and broader community telephoning me with concerns about reports that contaminated soil is to be relocated to Bacchus Marsh … The reports, if true, are part of a worrying trend for Governments … to see this town, and the west in general, through a lens of waste disposal …
What will the minister put first? The health of students at Bacchus Marsh or the financial interests of Transurban?
Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education) (11:17): I thank the deputy leader for her supplementary question. I have just a couple of points to make to add to my substantive answer and to her supplementary question: the excellent member for Melton has been meeting with the school as early as yesterday. The Minister for Transport Infrastructure met with the council a couple of weeks ago. I am more than happy to meet with the principal of Bacchus Marsh Grammar to discuss these matters. I just reiterate that no decisions have been made. Consultation clearly is ongoing, and in the meantime we are building schools in the west and we are supporting schools—government, Catholic and independent schools such as Bacchus Marsh Grammar.