Thursday, 13 November 2025

 Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:18): (2108) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Some weeks ago I noted the minister’s confirmation that the Box Hill brickworks site is to be developed. I asked the minister what I thought was a very logical question: given the site is well known to be contaminated, what new environmental reports did the minister have that said it was a safe thing to dig up tons and tons of landfill and expose potential carcinogens to the local community in order to build on this site?

You replied to me, Minister, that I should look up the Suburban Rail Loop contaminated land report, and implied that would tell me everything I needed to know. I must admit I felt that perhaps I had been a little bit foolish, because maybe the information was on the public record all along. So I did go and look up the report you told me to go look up, and in that report it makes reference to the Box Hill brickworks, yes. In fact it quotes the 2019 EPA report that confirms the contamination, confirms the carcinogen, confirms the risk of leaching groundwater and says it should not be built on.

I would like to understand from you, Minister: on what basis have you proposed to rezone the land for residential properties, when you have not had an updated environmental study performed, you do not know how much it is going to cost and you do not know what the risks are to the local community? Could you please explain to me and to my constituents what on earth is going on?