And if the recent ‘Say No to Eastern Creek Incinerator’ Rally at Minchinbury is any indication, the State Government has a major war on its hands; a war it come never win.
The Rally sent a strong ‘No Incinerator’ message to Macquarie St over the construction of any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney.
At the invitation of Mayor Tony Bleasdale, a large group of local residents gathered at Minchinbury Oval to hear from a range of speakers including Federal MP and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon Chris Bowen.
Speakers at the rally also included Mayor Bleasdale, the Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali, the Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla and representatives from the Greens and the ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ residents’ group.
“We had a range of speakers with a range of views but they were all united in their opposition to building any large-scale incinerators at Eastern Creek.” Mayor Bleasdale said.
“Council has been fighting against these incinerators for nearly eight years. In 2018 plans for an energy from waste incinerator at Eastern Creek were thrown out by the NSW Planning Department and the Land and Environment Court.
“In March 2019, then Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on radio that an incinerator would never be built at Eastern Creek and then late year, the NSW Government announced its Energy from Waste Infrastructure policy that clearly ruled out any new energy from waste incinerators being built in proximity of residential areas in Sydney
“But now, Next Generation is asking the Land and Environment Court to consider an amended development application for a proposed Incinerator at Eastern Creek.
“I can’t explain why, but the NSW Government has simply failed to put its policy announcement into action. Simple regulations would put an end to building these incinerators in the Sydney basin – that’s why we organised the rally to tell the Government to bring in the regulations immediately,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
It’s a ridiculous proposal
Mr Bowen described the proposed incinerator as; “This ridiculous, stupid, idiotic proposal.”
“This community doesn’t deserve to have an incinerator planted right in the middle of us. It’s not hard, both sides of politics support the ban, they can just do it by regulation.
‘They said they’d do it in a press release, but a press release doesn’t stop an incinerator,” Mr Bowen said.
MP for Blacktown Stephen Bali said: “No one in NSW Government is taking responsibility to enforce the announced Government policy.
“The Treasurer Matt Kean, Environment Minister James Griffin and Planning Minister Anthony Roberts all want to take credit for the policy but the people of Blacktown, through Council, are today before the courts fitting this proposal.
“Fix the laws and regulations so as to end the nightmare for the local residents.
“This toxic incinerator must be stopped to protect the lives of local residents and no one wants to hear excuses from the Government – we all want action now.”
Kim Wright from ‘No Incinerators for Western Sydney’ told the meeting; “The ACT has banned incineration, if it’s not OK for the ACT, it’s not OK for the rest of us.
“Let’s be clear about one thing. Our elected politicians (NSW Government) have the ability to stop this, but they don’t.”
Both local Members of NSW Parliament, Edmond Atalla and Stephen Bali said their number one priority was to see the Government bring in the regulations immediately that would prevent any incinerators being built in Western Sydney.
Mayor Bleasdale told the rally: “The people of Western Sydney need a ‘full stop’ on these incinerators. NSW, Matt Kean, you announced the policy, now it’s up to your government to give it teeth, bring in the regulations!”
We approached the State Government and Mr Kean for a response.
