Mayor demands close consultation about incinerator

Residents are being told to make their voices heard about the controversial project. Here’s where you can do it.

The Queensland Times Mayoral candidate forum held at USQ Ipswich on Tuesday night. Teresa Harding.

IPSWICH City Council has launched a dedicated page about the controversial waste to energy facility proposed for the city, encouraging residents to make their voices heard.

The $400 million plant has been declared as a coordinated project and the State Government has promised it will face the most rigorous assessment process available under Queensland law.

The proposed project has been met with much backlash by members of the community, who are worried about the potential health impacts of yet another waste facility.

Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding urged the State Government and proponent Remondis to consult closely with the community during the next stage of the approval process.

The waste company says the facility would create more than 200 jobs during its construction if it is approved, and up to 70 locals jobs once it is operational.

Cr Harding said feedback from Ipswich residents indicated people had a 'range of concerns' about what was proposed for the Swanbank site.

 

$400 million waste energy plant renders for the landfill site in the old swanbank power precinct

The State Government, alongside Remondis, controls all elements of the public consultation period.

"Remondis and the State Government have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that the people of Ipswich are properly consulted with, throughout the entire process," Cr Harding said.

"I have met with Minister for State Development, Tourism and Innovation Kate Jones and we agreed on the need for an exceptionally robust community engagement on this project.

"This is not a council process and the applicant will have to get the State Government's tick of approval before they can lodge a development application with council."

Cr Harding is expected to make further announcements about the project and the waste industry more widely by the end of the month.

The council will only receive an application for development approval to consider until Remondis has put together an environmental impact statement.

The council expects this could take until late next year.

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