Western Victoria Region
Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (12:51): (326) My constituency question is for the Minister for Planning. Recently the City of Ballarat council granted a permit for a fourth tailings storage dam for the Ballarat Gold Mine in the suburb of Mount Clear. The separation distance between this new hazardous waste dam and nearby houses, aged care centres and local schools will be just 100 metres. For most tailings dams in other areas of the country a 1-kilometre buffer zone is standard practice and considered safe. Mount Clear residents and Central Highlands Water have taken the decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, VCAT, stating that they are concerned about the risk to the environment and public health from dust migration and water leakage. Will the minister intervene and order an environment effects statement for this new hazardous waste processing dam?