Business leaders pen letter to premier in opposition of Lara incinerator

Eighteen Geelong business figures have penned a letter to the state’s premier stating their staunch opposition to a proposed Lara waste incinerator they fear would be an “environmental and human disaster”.

Les Dew, Angela Carr, Mebel Hart, Melanie Szocs and Charles Street. Picture: Alan Barber

Geelong business figures have penned a letter to the state’s premier stating their staunch opposition to a proposed Lara waste incinerator they fear would be an “environmental and human disaster”.

The letter, which was signed by 18 different business people, was sent to Premier Jacinta Allan’s office on Tuesday afternoon.

It outlines the signatories’ objection to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) granting a development licence, which they said was “completely inappropriate for the area”.

“We understand the EPA approval was based on incomplete or inaccurate information and without the sort of thorough environmental assessment which would be expected of an incinerator that will operate so close to schools and homes and in the middle of a fast-growing residential corridor,” the letter reads.

“There is considerable anxiety in the community and legitimate concerns about the incinerator’s potential impact on crops, animals and air and water quality.

Lino and Richard Bisinella at the site of the proposed Lara incinerator on McManus Road. Picture: Mike Dugdale

“None of this was subject to any meaningful assessment prior to the EPA’s approval.

“For a project of such a significant scale, community consultation was inadequate, and we understand the proponent has been unresponsive to questions raised by the community.”

Business leader and signatory Jim Riordan of Riordan Grain said Geelong shouldn’t become a “dumping ground” for Melbourne’s rubbish.

“If Melbourne has a rubbish problem then they can build their own incinerator,” Mr Riordan said.

“Why are they going to cart 100 tonnes of rubbish a day? I wouldn’t call that environmentally friendly.

“Melbourne can look after their own rubbish.”

Mr Riordan also questioned the incinerator’s potential aesthetic impact on the area.

“They’re going to build 70,000 homes to the west of there,” he said.

“The last thing you want to do is look down over Lara and see a smokestack I would have thought.”

“We’re going to stand up for our community.”

Jim Riordan. Picture: Peter Ristevski

It comes before politicians are expected to attend a community rally on Sunday to protest the EPA’s decision.

Rally organiser Chaz Street echoed the letter’s sentiment, calling the proposed incinerator a “disaster”.

“This monstrous incinerator will burn 1000 tonnes of rubbish every day, will be bigger than the MCG and will impact on air, crops, animals and water quality,” Mr Street said.

“It was approved with almost no community consultation and we are urging the Victorian Government to use the powers available to it to stop it before it destroys this community.”

Lara business figure Richard Bisinella, who earlier this month referred to the project as a “crime,” is this week at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) fighting the EPA’s decision.

“We have taken this matter to VCAT because we believe this enormous waste incinerator has been approved without proper environmental and economic assessment,” Mr Bisinella said.

“This is not the future we want for Geelong.”

The state government has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Business leaders pen letter to premier in opposition of Lara incinerator