Lara incinerator debate heats up

POLITICIANS from across the political divide joined with the Lara community today (Sunday, August 4) to protest the waste-to-energy plant proposed for the town.

About 200 demonstrators gathered in Austin Park to call on Premier Jacinta Allan and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, with whom final approval for the project rests, to reject the facility.

The crowd cheered as local, state and federal politicians confirmed their own opposition to the project.

The proposed facility in McManus Road, to be managed by Prospect Hill International, would incinerate up to 400,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill annually, producing enough energy to power up to 50,000 homes.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) granted the facility a development licence in December last year.

Community campaigner Melanie Szocs said the protest was all about unity.

“Why are we here? Because we love our Lara.

“I am here to protect my children, to protect our community, the elderly – we’ve got retirement villages all over Lara with the elderly living there with health conditions – and we’re going to dump an incinerator in Lara, close to homes and schools? How dare they.

“We will come together in solidarity and fight as a community to say no. We are not having this in our town.”

Lara Labor MP Ella George said the incinerator was “extremely concerning” for Lara residents, many of whom have been fighting against the project since 2020, who fear for the safety of the homes surrounding the facility as well as the effects on air quality.

“It is incredibly important to note that the closest home is only 350 metres away from this project.

“The centre of the town of Lara, right here where we are today, is just over a kilometre away and there are thousands of homes in the nearby suburbs of Lara and Corio.”

Ms George also shared a statement of support from Deputy Prime Minister and Corio Labor federal member Richard Marles, who was unable to attend the protest in person.

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said the waste-to-energy plant would not happen on her watch.

“The only way to stop this incinerator given there is now a license issued by the EPA, without even an Environmental Effects Statement, is to send a message to Jacinta Allan that the seat of Lara will be lost at the next state election unless this government starts to listen to your community,” she said.

Greens Member for Western Victoria Sarah Mansfield said she had not witnessed this level of community opposition, bringing together the business community and environmental advocates with politicians “right across the political spectrum”, to a project before.

“We know that waste incineration is an absolutely disaster on a whole lot of fronts.

“It’s terrible for the climate and for the environment. It is one of the most energy intensive ways to generate electricity – that’s just a bit of greenwashing.”

Dr Mansfield said the project was also “terrible” for people’s health and wellbeing.

“We have evidence that shows that, particularly for those living in the vicinity of these facilities, but also anywhere downstream where the wind might blow, that there are negative health impacts for those people.”