Mickleham Quarantine, Westgate Tunnel outrage

Locals in Melbourne’s northern suburbs are furious two controversial projects have been dumped in their backyard, with no consultation.

Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou and deputy opposition leader Richard Marles at the future Mickleham Quarantine site

Two controversial projects have been dumped on Melbourne’s north with no consultation, locals say.

The Herald Sun reported on Thursday that Mickleham would be the site of Victoria’s future permanent quarantine site.

On Friday it was reported the Hi-Quality tip at Sunbury would be the dumping site for soil contaminated by PFAS and other industrial chemicals from the Westgate Tunnel Project.

Local politicians have hit out at the state and federal governments, as well as construction company Transurban, over the controversial announcements.

Joseph Haweil, mayor of Hume, strongly criticised the Westgate Tunnel decision, saying that it was not supported at all by the council. He also called for community consultation over the Mickleham quarantine decision.

The future site of the Mickleham quarantine facility.

Mr Haweil said no representatives of either the federal or state governments had contacted the council about the decision and that he had learned about it through the media.

His call was echoed by Calwell federal Labor’s Maria Vamvakinou and Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles.

“There hasn’t been any community consultation. I certainly wasn’t consulted.” Ms Vamvakinou said.

Mr Haweil said there were important questions both the state and federal government’s needed to answer about how the community’s health and wellbeing would be protected.

“When you‘re talking about a facility such as this, the government needs to make sure that they acquire the social licence. And that means actually talking with the community.” Mr Marles said.

It is still unclear what impact the facility will have on local infrastructure, and Mr Haweil said he anticipated it would add further strain to critical road infrastructure in the fast growing city.

The Leader reported similar concerns from residents in June.

The future dumping site of contaminated Westgate Tunnel Project soil at Hi-Quality Tip, Sunbury.

Sunbury state Labor MP for Sunbury, Josh Bull, echoed Mr Haweil’s concerns about the Westgate Tunnel decision and said there were more appropriate sites that should have been selected.

However, he stopped short of opposing the decision.

“This was not my decision. It’s a decision of Transurban and CPB-John Holland — so we must now hold them to account.” he said.

Mr Bull called on Hi-Quality, the West Gate Tunnel Project, Transurban/CPB-John Holland, the EPA and the Department of Transport to reassure the community and demanded the unredacted Environmental Management Plan be released as soon as possible.

He also demanded an independent environmental auditor be appointed and for Hi-Quality to produce regular project updates and community briefings.

Mr Bull also emphasised that the soil was not as toxic as some had claimed, with levels of PFAS between zero and 0.7 micrograms per litre.

Mr Haweil said that Hume Council had serious safety concerns about the site’s proximity to recently approved residential development and would continue to explore all of its legal options to oppose the project.