❓ A parliamentary question regarding the approval process for the Great Southern Landfill at Allawuna Farm, focusing on environmental risks, community consultation, and inter-departmental communication. The Minister's response provides details on consultations, advice received, and the handling of public submissions and appeals.
AnsweredQoN 1849Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Great Southern Landfill site at Allawuna Farm and I ask: (a) How many times did the Minister speak with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER): (i) On what dates were those communications; (b) What advice did DWER provide on environmental risk and water catchment impact from the proposed landfill site; (c) Did the Minister consult the Minister for Planning and Lands prior to approval; (d) Was formal advice sought from the Minister for Water about Mundaring Weir catchment implications from the proposed landfill site; (e) Did the Minister communicate with the Department of Health about potential health impacts as a result of the proposed landfill site; (f) Has the Minister consulted with local indigenous groups regarding Aboriginal Cultural Heritage: (i) if so, which groups or leaders did the Minister meet with and on what dates; (g) Did the Minister consider advice from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; (h) How many public submissions did the Minister's office receive after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment; (i) Can the Minister release copies of all correspondence received; (j) Were any public submissions not considered or not responded to; (k) Did any submission request a meeting with the Minister; (l) Has the Minister published all consultation material on the Government website: (i) if not, why not; (m) Did the Minister release a summary of community consultation outcomes: (i) if not, why not; (n) Was there any ministerial briefing note on community opposition levels; and (o) What specific community concerns were considered in the final decision?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 May 2026
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment
Response time
8 days
(a) I meet with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) on many occasions for multiple reasons. It would be impossible to aggregate all those meetings and the dates on which they occurred.
(b) DWER provided advice on various environmental impact assessment matters including:
(c) Yes.
(d) As a decision-making authority, the Minister for Water was consulted on whether the proposal should be implemented and the implementation conditions. The Minister for Water supported the proposal with the associated Ministerial Conditions.
(e) The Minister for Health was not deemed a decision-making authority for the assessment.
(f) The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation’s appeal against the EPA’s report and recommendations was considered by the former Minister for Environment, Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, as part of the appeals process.
(i) Not applicable.
(g) Yes
(h) Nil.
(i) No, correspondence in relation to this matter includes material that may be confidential and/or privileged and is held by multiple agencies, including DWER, the EPA and the Office of the Appeals Convenor.
(j) Yes. A total of 56 appeals were invalid because the required fee was not paid. An opportunity to rectify this was provided. Three parties subsequently paid the fee, leaving 53 appeals remaining invalid. These invalid appeals were treated as pro-forma copies of valid appeals, and consequently their grounds were considered as part of the overall appeals process.
(k) No
(l) (i) The appeals committee’s report and the previous Minister for Environment’s appeals determination were published on the Office of the Appeals Convenor’s website on 14 October 2024.
(m) (i) The appeals committee’s report and previous Minister for Environment’s appeals determination were published on the Office of the Appeals Convenor’s website on 14 October 2024.
(n) – (o) All relevant information was considered, including community feedback via the EPA’s public comment period and appeals submitted through the office of the appeals convenor. Community concerns are reflected in the reports prepared by the EPA and the Office of the Appeals Convenor, which are publicly available.
(b) DWER provided advice on various environmental impact assessment matters including:
(c) Yes.
(d) As a decision-making authority, the Minister for Water was consulted on whether the proposal should be implemented and the implementation conditions. The Minister for Water supported the proposal with the associated Ministerial Conditions.
(e) The Minister for Health was not deemed a decision-making authority for the assessment.
(f) The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation’s appeal against the EPA’s report and recommendations was considered by the former Minister for Environment, Hon. Reece Whitby MLA, as part of the appeals process.
(i) Not applicable.
(g) Yes
(h) Nil.
(i) No, correspondence in relation to this matter includes material that may be confidential and/or privileged and is held by multiple agencies, including DWER, the EPA and the Office of the Appeals Convenor.
(j) Yes. A total of 56 appeals were invalid because the required fee was not paid. An opportunity to rectify this was provided. Three parties subsequently paid the fee, leaving 53 appeals remaining invalid. These invalid appeals were treated as pro-forma copies of valid appeals, and consequently their grounds were considered as part of the overall appeals process.
(k) No
(l) (i) The appeals committee’s report and the previous Minister for Environment’s appeals determination were published on the Office of the Appeals Convenor’s website on 14 October 2024.
(m) (i) The appeals committee’s report and previous Minister for Environment’s appeals determination were published on the Office of the Appeals Convenor’s website on 14 October 2024.
(n) – (o) All relevant information was considered, including community feedback via the EPA’s public comment period and appeals submitted through the office of the appeals convenor. Community concerns are reflected in the reports prepared by the EPA and the Office of the Appeals Convenor, which are publicly available.
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