By Ewen McRae
Legal action could be the next step for the Bacchus Marsh community, as resistance to plans to bring contaminated soil to the region grows.
A rally on March 10 saw up to 1500 people cover the Village Green on Main Street with signs and chants of protest against the plan from Maddingley Brown Coal to store and process contaminated soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project.
Among the speakers at the rally was Thexton Lawyers principal lawyer Glenn Thexton, who pledged to work with the community on their legal options moving forward.
“You can take action and your action will make a difference,” Mr Thexton told the rally.
“You are not powerless, and you can be supported in a formal manner, and that’s what I’m prepared to do.”
Mr Thexton said the community could look at taking out an injunction to stop toxic soil coming to Bacchus Marsh, but was unable to confirm following the rally what steps had been planned.
A GoFundMe page was set up following the rally to help cover the ongoing campaign, including prospective legal costs, with over $5500 raised in the first three days.
Meanwhile, Moorabool mayor David Edwards said last week’s rally showed the community would not be silenced on the issue, and again called on MBC to provide technical information about how the soil would be stored and processed if they won the tender from Transurban.
“The big turnout at this week’s protest rally sends a very clear message: don’t take Bacchus Marsh for mugs,” Cr Edwards said.
“Residents are alarmed about the lack of transparency and openness and want and deserve answers from those seeking to store, categorise and dispose of contaminated soil close to our town.
“Council shares the community’s concerns and is calling for greater transparency from all the parties involved in this proposal, including the Victorian Government.
“Those advocating for this have only themselves to blame for awakening a sleeping giant. Council and the community have been left in an information vacuum.
“The proponents have been given every chance to provide key technical reports to Council and they have declined all requests to do so.
“Without these reports, how can Council and the community have any confidence that the verbal assurances being given by Transurban and its partners, government agencies and others are supported by evidence that has been independently peer reviewed?”
