Hampton Park and its surrounding residents rallied outside the state tribunal on Friday 15 August to oppose the proposed waste transfer station, marking the second protest this year.
More than 30 people gathered outside the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) on King Street in Melbourne’s CBD, wearing “WTS WE SAY NO” yellow shirts and holding a “STOP THE WTS PROTECT HAMPTON PARK” red banner.
Local Opposition MP Ann-Marie Hermans, Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne, and Greens Brunswick MP Tim Read attended the rally, along with Casey Councillor Lynette Pereira, the only councillor present.
Inside the state tribunal, the state’s environment watchdog Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria was having its fourth day of the planning hearing to defend its objection against the development licence by Veolia for the proposed Hampton Park waste transfer station.
The eight-day VCAT hearing started on Monday 11 August, with the initial four days scheduled for this week and the rest for late September.
Earlier in the week, the tribunal ordered EPA Victoria to draft ‘without-prejudice’ licence conditions, which the agency refused, instead appealing to the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Two months ago, residents also travelled to Parliament to back a debate against the proposed waste transfer station.
Both rallies carried the same message: strong community opposition to the proposed facility, located approximately 250 metres from the nearest residential dwelling.
A spokesperson for Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA), who organised the rally, said what surprised them at the rally was the wave of support from beyond the Casey borders. “Residents from Mornington, Sunbury and Essendon stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us, proving this fight is no longer just local,” they said.
“With MPs joining the rally, our message was clear: people’s health and rights come before corporate profit.
“The EPA has already rejected Veolia’s licence, finding the facility posed unacceptable risks to human health and the environment and breached the Charter of Human Rights, including the Right to Life, Right to Privacy and Home, and the Protection of children.
“This battle is bigger than Hampton Park. It is about social justice, health, and the rights of every Victorian.”
At the VCAT rally, Opposition MP Ms Hermans, who previously tabled two petitions against the proposed facility in Parliament, voiced concern over the potential environmental and health impacts of the proposed facility.
She highlighted the importance of protecting local waterways, warning that contamination could have widespread effects on surrounding communities.
“What we don’t know is what a waste transfer facility would do to those waterways, and think of the number of residents this will impact. Berwick Springs has been named Berwick Springs for a reason. There’s a waterway,” she said.
“And there are waterways all throughout, right down to Cranbourne and beyond. It connects the communities even though we can’t see it.”
Legalise Cannabis MP Ms Payne said at the rally that in no way should a waste transfer station be in a residential area.
“The EPA has acknowledged this, has made its ruling,” she said.
“That should be upheld and that should be respected.
“I can imagine how incredibly frustrating it must be as a community to have to continue to stand there and say this over and over and over again.”
She said they would continue to hold the government to account and uphold the EPA’s decision.
“The community have been dealing with Veolia as an operator for many, many years,” she said.
“How many of you have had to make complaints about odour?
“How many of you have had to make complaints about how they operate and how they continue to be flagrant against the rules?”
The spokesperson for the LRA said the community is watching the VCAT trial closely, hoping common sense prevails and people are put before big business.
