BREAKING NEWS…

Council to review SAT’s decision on SITA’s landfill application

The following officer recommendation will go before Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 21 March 2016.

“That Council:

1. Receive the decision of the State Administrative Tribunal on the application for review of the Wheatbelt Joint Development Assessment Panel decision not to approve the construction and operation of a major waste management facility to be located on the Allawuna Farm in the Shire of York.

2. Await the comments of the Council’s legal advisor, Mr Denis McLeod, before determining a course of action.

3. Maintain a dialogue with other parties who oppose the decision of the State Administrative Tribunal."

 See pages 51-52 of the current agenda.

In backgrounding the recommendation, the agenda item states that 'The Shire has taken a firm line on this issue in support of the local community's view that the site is unsuitable and that the facility should not be established in that location'.

It seems likely, therefore, that subject to expert legal advice Council is considering the possibility of supporting an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Tribunal’s decision.  It does not have legal standing to launch one.

It will be interesting to see which way Cr Randell votes on the recommendation.

The meeting should provide an opportunity during Public Question Time for Ashworth Road residents to question Council about (a) any unauthorised uses of the Avon Waste truck depot and (b) any traffic and access problems arising or likely to arise from it.

If residents are concerned about hostility from Avon Waste employees, presumably they can submit questions in writing to Council and ask for their identities to be suppressed. 

Expect the Avon Waste cheer squad to turn out in force.  Opponents of the landfill and/or the truck depot should do the same.

POSTSCRIPT:  More Breaking News

Mia Davies on ABC radio this afternoon

Tune in to ABC 720 this afternoon at 5 pm to listen to Jane Marwick interviewing our local member of state parliament, Mia Davies MLA.

The interview will comprise a discussion of SAT’s decision on the SITA landfill.

I believe this will be an interactive program, allowing texts and comments from listeners.[ Note: I was wrong.  Jane invited listeners to send texts and comments after the interview had finished.]

This will give Mia a chance to make up lost ground with the electors of York.  Give her a go.  Both blogs have given her a bit of a roasting—especially the other one—but it’s time to welcome her (belated) expression of support.

What Mia said…

Here are some of the points Mia made during the interview.

She has had concerns about SITA’s proposed landfill from the beginning and expressed them to SITA.  (A pity she didn’t express them to us, her constituents).

‘From day dot’ she has worried about the state of the Great Southern Highway and the threat to traffic posed by the projected landfill.  She will press for upgrades to the highway, which at present is not suitable for the volume and type of traffic it is going to have to accommodate.

She is aware of environmental concerns regarding possible seepage of leachate into groundwater, but from her perspective as Minister for Water, she is, in her own words, ‘less nervous than the community’.

She thinks an appeal to the Supreme Court against SAT’s decision is unlikely, but objectors (as well, presumably, as SITA) will have the chance to appeal to the Minister for Planning against the conditions attached to the decision.

She claimed to have said from the beginning that Allawuna is not the right place for the tip.  She may have expressed this view to SITA, as she said, but I don’t recall her expressing it to her constituents, and I can’t find an early media release confirming that she did. 

At this point in the interview, I had the distinct impression that Mia might be suffering from a mild case of Pinocchio’s Proboscis, a medical condition common to politicians of all stripes as well as to other members of WA’s ruling elite.

Towards the end of the interview, Mia mentioned that the Wheatbelt generally seems likely to become the site of other landfills built to contain metropolitan waste.  She named Chittering and 
Toodyay as projected landfill sites.  

She said Wheatbelt residents might well regard the Allawuna landfill as ‘the thin end of the wedge’, giving rise to further applications.  In her view, government needs to develop ‘a more strategic and coordinated’ approach to waste disposal and she will be making representations to that effect.

I think Jane went too easy on Mia, but it was reassuring to know that Mia has always opposed the landfill, even if she forgot to tell us of her concerns until now.

Perhaps Jane should have prepared for the interview with a careful study of the blogs.

Robin Davies

Mia’s interview was followed by a telephone call from our own Robin Davies. She and Kay Davies were accredited interveners in the SAT process. 

Perhaps with the Roe 8 decision in mind, Robin pointed out that despite having received many submissions from local residents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had declined to assess the environmental impact of the landfill, in particular the threat of groundwater contamination from leachate. 

(A similar failure of the EPA in relation to Roe 8 resulted in a successful appeal to the Supreme Court against SAT’s decision in that case.)

Robin reminded listeners that SITA had hospital contracts and might be bringing medical waste to Allawuna.  She complained that SITA had moved to prevent the admission into the tribunal of evidence obtained from the Department of Parks and Wildlife.  She agreed with Mia that the Great Southern Highway was unsuitable for heavy traffic flowing to and from the landfill.

Robin’s contribution was succinct and to the point.  I had the impression that she hasn’t abandoned the idea of a Supreme Court appeal.  She and Kay have fought the good fight valiantly on our behalf at every stage in the proceedings.    The good people of York owe them an enormous debt.

Chin up, everybody.  The game may not be over yet.  'Say not the struggle nought availeth...'

POSTPOSTSCRIPT: ‘Animal Crackers’ strikes again…and again…and again…

‘Animal Crackers’ is the name I’ve bestowed on the author of the ‘woof woof’ threats against our dogs that were published on this blog a few days ago.

The first part of the name indicates his likely position on the evolutionary scale.  The second part alludes to his mental state, expertly diagnosed according to criteria set out in the psychiatrist’s manual DSM-V.

 Mr. Crackers let me know he was upset because I hadn’t posted his most recent comments, of which there have been more than a few.  I had previously told him I would only post his comments if he subscribed his name to them. 

However, on this occasion I have decided to publish a representative sample of his work.  I may consider posting a further sample if he submits his comments under the soubriquet ‘Animal Crackers’. 

That’s quite a concession, Mr. Crackers, and you would be wise to take advantage of it.

I don’t know who you are, and now you’ve stopped threatening my dogs (thanks, Trevor) I doubt I’ll take the trouble to find out.  But you’ve told us a fair bit about yourself:

1.              You are an employee of Avon Waste or the partner of one.  You identify closely with your employer.

2.              You didn’t do well at school and probably left at the first opportunity.

3.              You have a propensity for violence and a short fuse.  If you haven’t already done so, you should sign up for a course in anger management.

4.              You have contempt for women, especially if they disagree with you.

5.              You have more than once been in trouble with the police and may have a criminal record.

6.              You are friendly with Cr Randell.

There you are, Mr. Crackers—how did I do?

 
POSTPOSTPOSTSCRIPT: More breaking news...

Words fail me...for now.

FURTHER INFORMATION FROM DER WEBSITE  (Posted 240316)

https://www.der.wa.gov.au/our-work/consultation/69-closed-consultations/260-allawuna-farm-landfill-works-approval-application-closes-1-june-2015

Allawuna Farm Landfill works approval application

On 17 March 2016 DER determined to grant works approval W5830/2015/1 to SITA Australia Pty Ltd for the construction of a Class II Putrescible Landfill and associated infrastructure at Allawuna Farm Landfill located on part of Lot 5869 on Plan 224502.

DER’s decision to grant works approval W5830/2015/1 was advertised in The West Australian on 21 March 2016 and will be advertised in the Hills Gazette on 25 March 2016. DER is also writing to all persons who made a submission on the works approval application to notify them of the decision.

Anyone who disagrees with conditions specified in the works approval may lodge an appeal with the Appeals Convenor, within 21 days of the applicant being formally notified of the works approval conditions. Appeals cannot be lodged against the decision to grant the works approval.

.

Documents

Granted Works Approval W5830/2015/1

Decision Document

Supplementary Information (not previously uploaded to website)

Chemical Storage and Spill Management Plan

Series of management plans and responses to information requested by DER on 17 June 2015 which includes:

• Vermin Management Plan;
• Litter Management Plan;
• Asbestos Management Plan;
• Waste Acceptance Manual;
• Odour Management Plan;
• Dust Management Plan; and
• Noise Management Plan.

Series of management plans and responses to information requested by DER on 20 July 2015 which includes:

• Landfill Construction Management Plan Guidelines;
• Leachate Management Plan;
• Cross-sections of Local Geology.
• Updated Noise Management Plan (29/7/15)
• Updated Noise Assessment to Address Operational Hours