Gas cash flows on time

By Bridget Cook
MORE than one year on from the State Government’s election promise of $24 million to assist the Casey Council with the Stevenson’s Road landfill methane gas mess and the commitment has been met.
Representatives of the State Government and the City of Casey reached an agreement last week under which the council will settle its landfill remediation costs claims against the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Metropolitan Waste Management Group (MWMG).
The council will now receive a further $6 million within 14 days, $6 million before the end of the 2011/12 financial year and $12 million before the end of the 2012/13 financial year towards the remediation costs of the Stevensons Road Closed Landfill.
Together with the contribution of $17.5 million from the State Government in October last year, the further payment will bring the total of funds received by the council for remediation costs to $41.5 million.
The contribution follows an election commitment made by the Coalition to the City of Casey prior to last year’s state election.
To secure the money, the council was forced to comprise one of the indemnities sought by state representatives. The council had to agree that if a third party successfully sued a Sate Government entity in relation to remediation costs, that the City of Casey would indemnify the costs to a maximum of $500,000.
Talking at last week’s council meeting, chief executive Mike Tyler said the money would be used to replenish the council’s reserves.
Mayor Shar Balmes said while she was confident an agreement would be reached, the uncertainty and delays were causing frustration and tension in the council.
“I was pleased that Inga Peulich, the Member for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region, not only represented council’s interests to government, but was prepared to publicly call for the government to swiftly finalise the issue and I thank her for her efforts,” she said.
Councillor Geoff Ablett, who was mayor at the time, first raised the matter of the State Government contributing to the remediation costs.
Cr Ablett welcomed the news of the finalising of the agreement last week and said the Casey community and families would benefit.
“The former Labor Government left the Casey community to pick up the major costs of a disaster which was not of its own making,” he said.
“This was neither acceptable nor fair for a community which was already suffering significant disadvantage, and that is why I put my hand up for State Parliament last November to ensure the community had a real voice.
Ms Peulich said the funds would provide relief to the City of Casey. “The payment to the City of Casey is a solution that will benefit every ratepayer and resident in the City of Casey by reducing council rates and providing relief to Casey’s budget,” she said.