❓ A Member of Parliament questions the Minister for the Environment regarding the approval process for the Great Southern Landfill at Allawuna Farm, focusing on procedural compliance, transparency, and potential conflicts. The Minister's response indicates adherence to statutory processes and denies any impropriety.
AnsweredQoN 1850Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Great Southern Landfill site at Allawuna Farm and I ask: (a) Has the Minister tabled the Ministerial Statement in Parliament: (i) if so, on what date was it tabled; and (ii) was that tabling within the statutory timeframe; (b) Did the Minister provide Ministers’ briefing notes to Parliament ; (c) Has the Minister responded to written questions from other members of parliament on this matter: (i) if so, can those responses be published; (d) Has the Minister agreed to a Parliamentary Inquiry into how the approval decision was made; (e) Has any ministerial staffer resigned due to the decision to approve the Great Southern Landfill; (f) Can the Minister provide evidence that all statutory requirements were met before signing the approval; (g) Were any deadlines extended by the Minister: (i) if so, on what basis; (h) Was legal advice obtained by the Minister on the legality of approving this landfill; (i) Was that legal advice provided to the public; and (j) Did the Minister consult the Office of the Appeals Convenor before final approval: (i) What was the content of that consultation?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 May 2026
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment
Response time
8 days
(a) No. Ministerial Statements are not tabled in Parliament. Ministerial Statements are published on the website of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and are publicly available.
(b) No.
(c) No written questions have been received from other Members of Parliament.
(d) No.
(e) No.
(f) Consistent with statutory requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 the EPA assessed the proposal, finalised its report and recommendations on 1 May 2023 and submitted its Report 1738 to the Minister’s office – refer to record of EPA Report 1738 on the EPA’s webpage. EPA Report 1738 was open to appeal for 21 days after publication. The Office of the Appeals Convenor received 82 appeals against EPA Report 1738, the matter was heard by an appeals committee who investigated the appeal in line with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(g) No statutory deadlines apply to the appeals process, other than the 21-day appeal period for EPA Report decisions.
(i) Not applicable.
(h) – (i) Not applicable. Whether legal advice was sought, and the content of any advice, is subject to legal professional privilege.
(j) (i) The Office of the Appeals Convenor provided the publicly available report and advice summarising the responses provided to appellants. The Minister for the Environment may seek clarification however, the role of the Appeals Convenor is to understand the Appeal, provide the Minister with a report and recommendations. Once the report and recommendations are transmitted to the Minister, the functions of the Office of the Appeals Convenor are purely administrative.
(b) No.
(c) No written questions have been received from other Members of Parliament.
(d) No.
(e) No.
(f) Consistent with statutory requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 the EPA assessed the proposal, finalised its report and recommendations on 1 May 2023 and submitted its Report 1738 to the Minister’s office – refer to record of EPA Report 1738 on the EPA’s webpage. EPA Report 1738 was open to appeal for 21 days after publication. The Office of the Appeals Convenor received 82 appeals against EPA Report 1738, the matter was heard by an appeals committee who investigated the appeal in line with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(g) No statutory deadlines apply to the appeals process, other than the 21-day appeal period for EPA Report decisions.
(i) Not applicable.
(h) – (i) Not applicable. Whether legal advice was sought, and the content of any advice, is subject to legal professional privilege.
(j) (i) The Office of the Appeals Convenor provided the publicly available report and advice summarising the responses provided to appellants. The Minister for the Environment may seek clarification however, the role of the Appeals Convenor is to understand the Appeal, provide the Minister with a report and recommendations. Once the report and recommendations are transmitted to the Minister, the functions of the Office of the Appeals Convenor are purely administrative.
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