Daniel Andrews’ delayed and over budget West Gate Tunnel Project has seen Labor cut corners on environmental protections and now, outrageously, stripped planning powers from the Shire of Moorabool.
Instead in a secretive and undemocratic process giving planning approval to for a toxic spoil dump near the Bacchus Marsh township.
The secretive planning process has cut out the local community and the Shire of Moorabool.
The Planning Amendment C95 was gazetted this week and tabled in Parliament today.
The Liberals and Nationals have placed on the Notice Paper a motion to disallow the planning approval given this week.
We will seek the support of the Upper House to overturn the undemocratic and unsafe planning scheme amendment that, if not disallowed, would allow the dumping of toxic PFAS contaminated West Gate Tunnel spoil near the Bacchus Marsh township.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, David Davis:
“Labor has overridden local democracy and put the environment at risk. We will seek to overturn this arrogant and unsafe action by revoking the Minister’s panning approval.
“Where are the local Labor MPs, Steve McGhie and Michaela Settle? It seems they are in hiding from their local community and the community know they have sold them out.”
Comment attributable to the Shadow Minister for Planning, Tim Smith:
“The Planning Minister has used special powers to bypass the local council and community and override democracy. The City of Moorabool should have remained the planning authority, rather than the Minister giving this permit with the stroke of a pen in his tall city tower.
“Bacchus Marsh is a crucial part of Melbourne’s food bowl and this toxic waste dump could threaten the water table. This dump is totally unacceptable for local farmers.”
Comment attributable to the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Bridget Vallence:
“Daniel Andrews and Labor don’t care about people or the environment and have abandoned environmental and planning protections to dump toxic soil on the doorstep of the Bacchus Marsh community, risking people’s health and wellbeing.”
Comments attributable to the Member for Western Victoria, Beverley McArthur:
“I have worked with the local Bacchus Marsh community, I know how hard they have fought to protect their schools, agriculture production and the environment against Daniel Andrews’ toxic dump.
“Bacchus Marsh doesn’t deserve this and the lack of support shown by local Labor MPs, including Upper House Ministers, Tierney and Pulford was evident at the massive public meetings of more than fifteen hundred people that I have attended.”
