Tuesday, 7 March 2023

Recycal

Nicholas McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:06): (80) My matter is for the Minister for Environment, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide a brief to this place with respect to a waste transfer facility that is well known to locals in my district or electorate. It is the Heatherdale Road waste transfer facility operated by the company Recycal.

I was fortunate some two weeks ago to receive a community group – the Heatherdale Community Action Group. Their members have for quite some time engaged not only with the local planning authority and the local council but also the EPA. They have been very diligent in their efforts. They are concerned because the facility that I have raised this evening is one that was subject to action by the EPA. They are very keen to understand what actions have happened since a particular incident. It was reported at the time, and it was reported in the Age newspaper. The headline read, ‘Stockpile of flammable, explosive waste found near homes and major highway’. That was on 8 April 2021. At that time the journalist noted that only after the journalist actually contacted the EPA, some five months after the EPA’s initial inquiries, it appeared – and I say ‘appeared’ – that they actually conducted further investigations into the facility.

As members here would be well aware, there have been a number of high-profile fires throughout metropolitan Victoria, where substances of a very concerning and indeed alarming nature have gone up in flames. It displaces the communities. This particular facility runs along EastLink and abuts residential properties, so it is a matter of absolute importance for the local community that I represent. They have emphasised to me that they have been thwarted, prevented from investigating and in their dealings with the EPA have a number of matters that remain outstanding. I for one would be very appreciative if the minister could provide, as I have asked, this place with a brief in respect to not only what the EPA have done in the past but what actions they have taken, if any.