Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-10 Daily Xml

Contents

PORT LINCOLN WASTE DUMP

The Hon. M. PARNELL (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations, representing the Minister for Urban Development and Planning, a question about contaminated land at Port Lincoln.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M. PARNELL: For the best part of a century a site in Windsor Avenue, Port Lincoln was home to a waste refuse dump that was the repository for night soil, general waste and industrial waste. The dump, whilst now closed, pre-dates modern waste management techniques and, as a consequence, poses an ongoing threat of pollution from both leachate and methane gas leakage.

Current zoning of this land prohibits urban development. However, there are plans to extend the Port Lincoln marina towards the boundary of the former rubbish dump. There are also plans to rezone deferred development land for urban development, including housing. Given the likely extent of land contamination and the likely continuing spread of that contamination through the soil, there are serious concerns within the community that future residents and the marine environment could be put at risk if this issue is not resolved before further development takes place.

As the minister is shortly to consider rezoning the current deferred development zone for urban development, I ask the following:

1. What leachate and gas monitoring is currently being undertaken on and around the former Windsor Avenue waste dump site?

2. What assurance can the minister provide to the people of Port Lincoln that no land will be rezoned for urban development until the extent of land contamination and other pollution emanating from the old Windsor Avenue landfill site is properly understood and managed?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:50): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I will refer them to the honourable Deputy Premier in another place and bring back a response.