Page 1707 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 June 2021
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Planning—green waste
MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. The Parkwood green waste facility is essential for many people in Belconnen, who are furious it is closing. The government has advised residents to go to Mitchell or Mugga Lane. The current operator has said that they have been in discussions with ACT NOWaste about relocation options for close to three years. Mitchell is at 90 per cent capacity and cannot handle more traffic. Mugga Lane is too far. Minister, a start-up gardening business has calculated that going to Mugga Lane will cost them an additional $400 a week. Minister, when the Mitchell facility becomes overwhelmed, what will the government do when people are turned away and cannot afford to drive to Mugga Lane?
MR STEEL: I answered this comprehensively in the previous sitting week for Mrs Kikkert, noting that we understand the importance of having green waste collection throughout the ACT and that we are undertaking a review of waste facilities right across Canberra at the moment, particularly noting that there is a lot of growth in the north of the city. That is one of the reasons we have rolled out household green waste collection, and we intend to extend that to FOGO in the future—
Mrs Kikkert: I have a point of order. The question is specific, and I did not ask this several weeks ago. The question is: when the Mitchell facility becomes overwhelmed, what will the government do when people are turned away and cannot afford to drive to Mugga Lane? It is about when they are turned away from Mitchell.
MADAM SPEAKER: The Minister has a minute and a half to get to it, but he is talking about the general planning, so I think he is on track.
MR STEEL: We are currently reviewing the waste facilities around Canberra and the provision of waste facilities, including any future sites that may be needed. I mentioned that in my previous answer in the last sitting week, and I mentioned it again in answer to your question, Mrs Kikkert. There are a range of places to drop off green waste in Canberra, including at Mitchell, at a cost. There are also many private businesses—some of which the Canberra Liberals sided with, against our free household collection scheme around Canberra—which can take that green waste and bring it to a place like Corkhill Bros at Mugga Lane for it to be turned into compost.
So there are a range of options for people, and the government is undertaking further work to review the provision of waste facilities across the ACT. We will continue to roll out our Food Organics Garden Organics collection scheme in line with our commitments to provide better services to Canberrans. The reason this particular site will be closing is— (Time expired.)
MRS KIKKERT: I have a supplementary question. Minister, given that Belconnen is the largest suburban population centre in the ACT, why is it acceptable to have no local green waste facility for them?
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