Avon Valley Residents Association Inc.

Newsletter, October 20, 2022

Greetings All,

It has been a while since our last newsletter. Not much action has taken place in the last twelve months, but in order to keep AVRA alive we need to hold an AGM. This will take place on Monday October 24 at 12pm at Sandalwood Press, Grey Street in York. The time is different to the advertised time of 7pm. All welcome and we invite new blood onto the committee. 

The present committee has been dealing with the Landfill issue for ten years now and the novelty has nearly worn off, however there have been some recent developments. Over the years the Labor Party always expressed support for AVRA’s and the Shire’s opposition to the landfill issue. Since being in Government the party did refer the issue to establish a metro landfill on Allawuna Farm to the EPA. The EPA has had the issue on their desk for a few years and recently they published a report dealing with the various issues that related to the many questions that were raised as part of the public submissions that many of you took part in. This document is attached to this issue of the newsletter.

The various Planning permissions that were in place for the Landfill Mark 1 are still in place and still valid. The Government has failed to come up with any coherent plan to deal with waste disposal and consequently landfills. All has been left to the Waste Authority to deal with. Their track record has shown that major issues, like where to establish new landfill sites, is not something they are interested in. In effect, this Government has adopted the policy of the  previous Government – ‘big business knows best’ and as such they are happy to let local government fight it out with big business as to the locations of landfills. As far as this issue is concerned, this Labor Government is as gutless as the previous Liberal Government and while they are happy to sprout their environmental credentials, when is comes to finding solutions to the waste disposal/landfill dilemma nothing has been forthcoming.

Over the years many of us have had discussions with various politIcians about this issue. Darren West is our local member for the Agricultural Area. While he says that the party still supports our opposition to the landfill proposal, now that they are in Government they have come to the realisation that putting your money where your mouth is, takes a bit of guts. The Minister for the Environment will have the final say on this project. Let’s hope he shows some guts.

In order to keep AVRA alive, we need a membership. We invite you to renew your membership. Details below.

Cheers Keith Schekkerman

Membership renewal : 

Bendigo Bank York – Name of Account: Avon Valley Residents Association Inc. 

BSB: 633 000 Account number: 147 910 756 

Membership fee: Single $15.00 Family fee: $20.00 

Concession fee: $10.00 Donations welcome. 

With the transfer details, please give us your name and email to send you a receipt.