Liberals vote to shut down debate on Greens Bill to stop western Sydney incinerator

MEDIA RELEASE: 8 August 2017

The Greens NSW Energy spokesman Jeremy Buckingham has today called on member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies and Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres to explain why the Liberal Party voted in the NSW Upper House to prevent debate on a Greens Bill that would prohibit locating large polluting ‘waste to energy’ incinerators within 15 kilometres of urban zoning. The Bill would effectively kill off a proposal from Mr Ian Malouf’s Dial-A-Dump company to build the world’s largest waste incinerator on his land in Eastern Creek, only 800 metres from homes and a school in Minchinbury.

Mr Buckingham sought to bring the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Waste Incinerator Facilities - Residential Exclusion Zones) Bill 2017 on for debate in parliament today but this was blocked by the Government, the Shooters and Fishers Party and the Christian Democrats with 13 votes for and 18 votes against. Labor joined with the Greens to support debate on the Bill.

“Tanya Davies and Stuart Ayres need to explain to the people of western Sydney why the Liberal Party have refused to allow even 15 minutes of parliamentary time so that debate could begin on this important issue,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“This is a slap in the face to all those people who don’t want the world’s largest toxic incinerator in their backyard.

“Do they not think this is an important issue worth debating in parliament?”

“They can run, but they can’t hide from the people of western Sydney and if they do not stop the incinerator then Tanya Davies and Stuart Ayres can expect to get thrown out at the next election.

“I pleased that the Labor Party supported debate on this important piece of legislation and am hopeful that they will support the legislation when it is finally voted upon.

“It is the government’s role to step in and protect the lungs of Western Sydney. Whether a giant waste incinerator is built only a kilometre from homes and schools is a decision for the government and parliament, and cannot just be left to planning bureaucrats.

“I will not give up and the Greens will not stop standing up for the people of western Sydney who are opposed to this dirty garbage incinerator,” Mr Buckingham said.

Contact: Jack Gough – 9230 2202 or 0427 713 101

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