The Minister for Environment must act immediately and recognise the environmental disaster unfolding on south-west beaches and do more to support the clean-up effort, Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell says.
Mrs Britnell said since illegally dumped plastic pellets began washing up on beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy last week, Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has not been seen or heard from.
Mrs Britnell raised the issue in Parliament today calling on the minister to provide immediate assistance to the clean-up effort.
“The community is doing all the heavy lifting and the government is giving no support or even acknowledging that this is a major environmental disaster,” Mrs Britnell said.
“Why won’t this Government provide assistance to the clean-up effort? Will it be left up to these volunteers to do it alone?”
Mrs Britnell has received a briefing on the situation from Wannon Water and has discussed the matter with other key stakeholders.
She said the clean-up effort was typical of the south-west community who always get on and get things done.
“This is a significant breach and poses a significant environmental problem – for the Minister for Environment to be silent is baffling,” Mrs Britnell said.
“It’s time the volunteers were given some support from the state government and the supposed Minister for Environment.”
