You Can't Wynne Them All
On 3 March 2020, Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur tabled six questions on notice directed to the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, relating to the proposal to dispose PFAS-contaminated soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project at Maddingley Brown Coal.
Under parliamentary standing orders, Ministers have a responsibility to provide answers to questions within 30 days or to advise the Member otherwise.
Mrs McArthur received an answer to one of those six questions on 29 April 2020.
The Minister clarified that the soil that is currently being disposed of at Maddingley Brown Coal, "is not related to West Gate Tunnel soil disposal and involves the receipt of soil from other places."
The remaining five questions are now 62 days overdue.
Quotes attributable to Bev McArthur MP:
"In typical Labor-fashion, the Planning Minister continues to avoid any scrutiny or inquiry into this reckless proposal."
"These questions have not been simply dreamt up or created out of thin-air. They are important questions raised with me by the community and need to be answered."
"The Minister needs to clarify whether his Department was aware of the EPA's recommendation to manage toxic soil prior to commencing the project, why the nine technical impact assessments have not been made available to the public and the logistics of potential soil disposal at Maddingley Brown Coal."
"With community consultation impossible in the current circumstances, it is absolutely imperative that Ministers properly answer questions posed to them by Members on behalf of the community, to whom they are ultimately responsible."
4 May 2020