ENVIRONMENT Protection Authority Victoria’s chief executive has denied staff cuts are “compromising” its work in policing pollution in Melbourne’s south-east.
In a letter to the Journal, John Merritt said the EPA was “more actively involved than ever before” in solving issues at landfills in Clayton-Dingley and Hampton Park.
Mr Merritt said the EPA was targeting issues that presented the highest risk to the community and the environment.
Last week, the Journal reported that EPA’s acting Dandenong region manager Leigh Bryant told residents that 15 per cent in staff cuts across the state public service had left the authority struggling to cope with demand.
“Our process can be slow but that relates to the resourcing issues,” Mr Bryant told residents, which included members of Residents Against Toxic Waste in the South East.
“We have limited numbers and it affects the time we can respond.”
He said the call-centre company manning the EPA’s 24/7 pollution hotline was on a final performance warning for inadequately recording complaints.
Jim Houlahan, a resident at the meeting who asked about the impact of staff cuts, said it was “extremely refreshing” to be part of a meeting “without any spin”.
“I hope there aren’t any consequences for [Mr Bryant],” he said.
“If the cuts don’t impact on the performance, you have to think they have been over-resourced or there have been inefficiencies.”
Mr Merritt said last year’s negotiated outcome with Hallam Road landfill operator SITA Australia over repeated breaches of odour limits resulted in $800,000 worth of work to fix the issue and was “agreeable” to nearby residents.
Under the undertaking, SITA was required to give $100,000 towards a community environment project.
Mr Houlahan said the outcome was greeted with suspicion. “People don’t want a set of swings or slides. They want the problem solved.”
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