By Charlene Gatt
WILLIAMSTOWN MP Wade Noonan has accused the State Government in putting another nail in the coffin of the Truck Action Plan by denying the Opposition a chance to meet with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Shadow Roads Minister Jacinta Allan told Parliament recently she had made repeated requests to meet with the EPA CEO to discuss the possibility of updating a 2002 assessment of air quality, traffic noise and community health perceptions in the inner West, but had been denied on each occasion.
“The Environment Protection Authority is an independent statutory authority established by an act of Parliament,” Ms Allan said.
“It is clearly within its scope to hold a meeting with members of Parliament regardless of their political persuasion, and I am concerned that the minister and his office are intervening and stopping the Environment Protection Authority from performing one of its independent duties – briefing members of Parliament who are making representations on behalf of concerned members of the public about environmental matters.”
Mr Noonan added: “This just proves that the Baillieu Government will go to extraordinary lengths to kill off the Truck Action Plan, thereby ensuring that the number of trucks on residential streets will continue to grow year on year.
“The minister has refused to meet with the community because he knows that there is no future for the Truck Action Plan.”
“This is an affront to democracy in this state and makes a mockery of Premier Baillieu’s pledge to be an open and accountable government.”
The EPA told Star last week that requests for meetings with EPA officials were directed to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
A spokesperson from the Department of Environment and Climate Change did not answer why it had denied the Opposition’s requests, saying only:
“All members of Parliament have a range of avenues for asking questions and obtaining information including questions on notice and in the House.”
