Environment Minister ignores expert advice, fails Hills residents

The Minister for Environment has unilaterally made the decision to ignore expert advice and in doing so has failed Perth residents living in the northwest part of the Hills, the Greens stated today.

The comments, made by Hon Alison Xamon, Greens representative for the East Metropolitan Region, followed the decision by Minister Marmion to over-ride both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Appeals Convenor in its assessment of the proposed expansion of the Red Hill Quarry by Hanson Pty Ltd.

Hanson originally applied to expand the Red Hill Quarry by another 80 Hectares in 2008.  A public environmental review was completed and judged environmentally unacceptable by the Environmental Protection Authority.  Hanson appealed to the Appeals Convenor and none of their grounds were upheld.

Despite this the Environment Minister has now notified concerned local residents that he will ignore the advice of his own Appeals Convenor and will now be upholding a number of the appeals and requiring the relevant authorities to consult about finding ways to reduce, manage, mitigate and offset the impacts of this quarry.

Ms Xamon said she was appalled at the Minister’s disregard for the sensitive Aboriginal heritage and environmental values of the site and refusal to accept the advice of his own experts.

“The EPA and the Appeals Convenor have seen what is obvious to the community in this area,” she said. 

“The expansion of this quarry will cause irreversible damage to the environmental and heritage values of this unique area that cannot be offset.

“It is unbelievable that the Minister has decided to accept the company’s claims that they can manage these impacts, rather than follow the expert advice of the EPA. 

“Once these aboriginal heritage sites and vital environmental features are gone, they are gone for good, Ms Xamon said.

“We have already lost a huge amount of our scarp to quarrying.  This one has been found to be unacceptable.  It is unacceptable that the Minister continues to forge ahead with a quarry no-one wants.

“Hills residents and the local Nyungah elders are fed up with seeing their precious communities being increasingly encroached upon by inappropriate proposals such as this quarry expansion.  These people deserve to be treated with greater respect,” Ms Xamon concluded.