Westgate Tunnel Spoil: Hi-Quality tip avoids Hume council injunction

The decision to dump toxic soil in Melbourne’s north has tensions riding high — and a local mayor said there could be repercussions for the vile abuse.

Hi-Quality Tip avoids Hume council injunction

Residents in Melbourne’s north want their council to fight harder to stop them from becoming a dumping ground for contaminated soil.

This comes after Hume Council decided not to see an injunction against Hi-Quality tip, the owners of the Bulla site where PFAS contaminated soil from the Westgate Tunnel Project could be dumped.

The council, which is also challenging the site through the Supreme Court, sought legal advice over the possibility of seeking an injunction to prevent Hi-Quality from developing its spoil processing facility.

The legal advice, made public through the council’s meeting agenda, recommended against seeking an injunction pending a decision by the Supreme Court. The advice noted that if the injunction was unsuccessful, the council would be at risk of substantial financial penalties.

Hi-Quality Group was approached for comment, but declined due to the legal nature of the decision.

Mayor Joseph Haweil said any defamatory or libellous comments about the council’s motivations or efforts could attract legal action.

“Council and some, but not all, councillors have been subjected to immense vitriol and abuse, particularly by those enjoying the comfort of a sedentary position online.” he said.

Mr Haweil warned that critics could be held legally accountable for any defamatory or libellous comments made online about the council’s motivations or efforts.

On March 29, the Planning Minister approved an amendment to the Hume Planning Scheme to allow the construction of a spoil processing facility for spoil from the West Gate Tunnel project on Bulla site.

The council challenged that decision on May 28 in the Supreme Court.

An official decision to proceed with the Bulla site was made on 25 June by Transurban and the CPB John Holland.

Chris O’Neil, a leader of the ‘Sunbury Against Toxic Soil’ community campaign, said he had expected the legal advice to recommend against an injunction, but was glad the council was publicly exploring all of its options in opposing the site.

“We were the ones that gave them the idea of going to the Supreme Court. So we really motivated and pushed for that to take place.” he said.