Thursday, 24 March 2022

West Gate Tunnel soil

Mr FINN (Western Metropolitan) (18:15): (1844) My adjournment this evening is addressed to the Premier, and it concerns the spill—the first major spill—that we had in Sunbury yesterday of sludge which may or may not have been PFAS-contaminated. The date of that—yesterday—was almost more than a coincidence, because today we find out when reading the West Gate Tunnel Project agreement third amending deed that the government has completely taken responsibility for any potential disaster away from itself and given it to a company called BSF. Members may well speculate on what BSF stands for, and I have got a few ideas myself, but apparently it is Bulla Spoils Facility Pty Ltd. This company has been set up specifically, as I understand it, to carry the can for any disasters that may occur as a result of the dumping of the toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel.

The fact that the government has thought it necessary to remove responsibility from itself for this I find quite appalling. This government knows the threats. This government knows that its actions are putting the people of Sunbury and Bulla and indeed many parts of the western suburbs in danger, so it is actually removing itself from the scene altogether legally. I think that is appalling. It is an act of cowardice, really, and it is also an act of gross negligence on the part of a government that just specialises in negligence.

I am absolutely flummoxed to understand why this government would feel the necessity to turn its back on the people of the north-west of Melbourne in particular but of other parts of the west as well where this soil will travel via trucks, spilling all over the place.

A member interjected.

Mr FINN: I would not go via Melton—that is a fair hike—but it certainly would come up the Tulla freeway, potentially spilling that PFAS-contaminated soil or sludge everywhere as it goes. It is a major problem, and it is putting many, many thousands, tens of thousands and maybe hundreds of thousands, of people’s lives in danger throughout the north-west in particular and throughout the west of Melbourne. So I am asking the Premier to reverse this decision, to not turn his back on the people of the west of Melbourne and to meet his responsibilities—to stand up and do his job.