Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:28): (2200) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Planning, and the action I seek is for the government to listen to the calls coming from the community, from my Greens colleagues and me, and even from some of this Labor government’s own MPs, to deny the expansion of Boral’s Montrose quarry. The fight against Boral’s quarry led by the community of Montrose dates back to the 1960s, but most notably the community came together to stop the mass expansion of the quarry in the 1990s and early 2000s due to the adverse impacts on its surrounding residential population and the surrounding environment. Some MPs in this Parliament were already here in this place and so may remember this. Boral tried to expand and encroach onto nearby people’s homes, their schools and their child care and the surrounding natural landscape – and when I say nearby, I mean within metres. They failed back then, but decades later they are back trying it all over again – but even bigger this time. Not only does the quarry not comply with EPA rules, but residents of the surrounding area are already experiencing adverse impacts. Angela said:

We live with the blasting and the putrid possibly toxic smells from the Montrose quarry. Please no expansion. The quarry’s impact on our street and community, on our little children, elderly residents and everyone is horrible. An expansion surely cannot be allowed in a residential area.

Cathryn said:

My husband and I moved to Montrose this year for the semi- rural environment, not realising the quarry was even there. It took us a while to discover the reason we were experiencing times when the whole house shook.

Judith said:

I don’t want to breathe anymore silica dust. I do not go outside my house or open my windows or doors when Montrose Quarry is crushing rock.

But it is not just local residents or people who are concerned about the local environment that are worried about the impacts of the expansion. Separate to the community’s ongoing petition on this issue, the Labor member for Monbulk has been sharing a petition with the intention of ‘strongly opposing’ the expansion of the Montrose quarry. I applaud her for opposing this, but it begs the question: what is the point of having a government MP if they are being ignored by their own government? The community does not want this expansion. The local environment does not need this expansion. The local member does not want the expansion. Minister, do not give in to Boral; stand up to these corporations.