Waste group forms

By NICOLE WILLIAMS
AS ONE group disbands another is formed to include the community in the future of the Taylors Road Landfill.
But environmental group, Residents Against Toxic Waste in the South East, believes the new group doesn’t include important stakeholders.
The new Community Reference Group (CRG), will include 18 residents, and replace the Community Engagement Steering Committee, which included representatives from RATWISE, Greater Dandenong and Casey councils, the EPA and other government departments.
Thelma Wakelam, president of RATWISE, said these stakeholders needed to be part of the group.
“They need to be a part of the group or there needs to be another separate group which can feed into the relevant stakeholders,” she said.
“SITA has said these stakeholders ‘can be invited’ but that’s not the issue because you have a big time delay.
“The focus and interaction is completely different to having access to decision makers right there.”
Lyndel Hunter, Stakeholder Engagement Manager with SITA said the group aimed to work within the community.
“SITA is committed to working with community members, seeking their input on a wide range of resource recovery, sustainability and corporate citizenship topics relevant to the Taylors Road Landfill,” she said.
“Council officers, councillors, EPA representatives from both Southern Metro and Head Office and representatives of any other government department are welcome at all meetings and will attend for presentations at the request of the TRL CRG members.”
An information meeting for interested residents was held in Lynbrook last week, with 32 people attending and three expressions of interest for positions received.
Ms Hunter said the new CRG would replace the Community Engagement Steering Committee.
“The Terms of Reference of the CESC expired over two years ago,” she said.
“The CRG will be operating under national Terms of Reference for all SITA CRGs.”
For more information on the CRG initiative visit www.sita.com.au or call 0459 980 600.