West Gate Tunnel PFAS Documents Must Be Released
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur welcomed today’s Opposition victory in the Upper House, which saw a motion requiring the wholesale release of documents relating to the soil excavated from the West Gate Tunnel project.
The opposition motion demanded access to documents and emails about the classification, handling, and storage of potentially PFAS-affected soil.
Speaking in Parliament, Mrs McArthur said:
“It seems clear to me that the State Government and their contractors would be entirely content to ignore all the environmental arguments, and the concerns raised about community proximity, in order to dig themselves out of the hole their mismanagement of the West Gate Tunnel construction project has made.”
“At every stage residents feel they have been left in the dark on the detail, and their representations ignored.”
“What Ministers need to understand, however, is that failing to engage will not make the problem go away. They cannot simply continue to ignore local feeling, and press on regardless. At every stage their failure to respond makes the anger greater, and makes the determination of Bacchus Marsh residents to fight this stronger. “
“It is time for this secrecy-addicted Government is to come clean and treat the people of Bacchus Marsh with the respect they deserve.”
17 June 2020