Page 154 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 11 February 2015
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Environment—Mugga Lane tip
MR WALL: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, many residents of Tuggeranong, namely in the suburbs of Macarthur, Fadden, Gowrie, Chisholm and Gilmore, have contacted me about the overwhelming bad odour emanating from the Mugga Lane tip affecting their quality of life. It was publicly stated by ACT NOWaste that work ceased at the tip on 6 February and therefore the smell would abate. Will you guarantee that the smell has stopped and will not occur again? If not, why not?
MR RATTENBURY: As Mr Wall has indicated, the works at the tip have now ceased. They ceased on Friday, 6 February. TAMS have advised residents that they expect the odours to cease in a short period after that. There will of course be a period when that is finalised. I hope it has now finished. There is certainly no intent to do further works, so I do not expect the odour to recur.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what suburbs were notified about the potential effects of the work at the tip and in what formats did this notification take place?
MR RATTENBURY: I will seek the specific details and provide advice to the Assembly.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Minister, will you be investigating the delays in rectifying the smell and, if so, will affected residents be informed of the outcome?
MR RATTENBURY: No, I will not be. There were a number of measures that were put in place by TAMS to mitigate the smells. Unfortunately, the project did take longer than initially anticipated. There were delays caused by rain, which has had an impact on a number of things that TAMS is doing, and there was a suspension of work over the Christmas period. These are the reasons it took longer than anticipated. That is well explained. There does not need to be an investigation to assess that. So, no, I will not be undertaking one.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Minister, how many complaints regarding the smell have been recorded by Canberra Connect over the past three months and how were these complaints resolved?
MR RATTENBURY: ACT NOWaste received 58 complaints from residents in the 10 weeks to 4 February 2015 and they continued to communicate directly with each of them throughout that period. Once somebody had been in touch and ACT NOWaste had their contact details, I am advised that they did continue to provide those residents with an update.
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