Local MP Denied access to Environmental DG by State Government

Local MP Denied access to Environmental DG by Minister
Fire at Cleanaway New Chum site - July 2017

In an  "Unprecedented response" from the Minister, Leeanne Enoch, local MP Jo-Ann Miller was denied access to have a meeting with the Director General (DG) of Environment Department.

Jo-Ann Miller was requesting such a meeting as a consequence of concerns raised by community organisation, IRATE, after the recent CRG meeting with Cleanaway, Dept of Environment and ICC. (See below)

Hi Jo-Ann

Last night at the New Chum CRG meeting the following significant issues were raised.

  1. Cleanaway has been issued an updated Environmental Authority (EA) under the new "streamlined EA approach" of DES. This new EA is significantly less arduous for Cleanaway and any other future dump in Queensland as the document is less "prescriptive" than previous approvals.
  2. At the meeting IRATE challenged Cleanaway about the issues of dust and fires, and particularly in the manner in that they are not complying with their own Site Based Management Plan (SBMP), dust procedures and commitments made in previous CRG minutes. IRATE was astounded when the DES Officer stated that Cleanawy does not need to follow its own SBMP. (Note SBMPs are required to be established to demonstrate how companies will meet the EA requirements.)
  3. Cleanaway stated that they were beginning a procedure to investigate how to extend the footprint and height of the Cleanaway New Chum dump in attempt to extend the life of the dump. This included the possibility of using Void 10 as part of the dump footprint.

We are very concerned about these issues as for 

  1. The State government appears to be making it easier to operate dumps in Qld.
  2. The State government does not care if a dump company actually follows its SBMP and other management plans required under the EA.
  3. Cleanaway now wants to extend a dump into areas including Six Mile Creek, just meters from residences in Collingwood Park, to maximize their profits while maximising the suffering of local residents.

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