Environment Protection Authority Victoria should be embarrassed by its appalling handling of the North Wangaratta oval clean-up, according to Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr McCurdy said while he did not dispute the actions required to remove the lead contamination, he criticised how long the process was taking.
North Wangaratta Football Netball Club has not been able to host games on its ground since lead was discovered there in May 2016.
Excavation works to remove the contaminated soil from the recreation reserve began in January but last month Wangaratta Council announced more delays.
Mr McCurdy, speaking in Parliament earlier this month, said football matches wouldn’t return to North Wangaratta until 2019.
“The lack of urgency and the lack of respect for this great community club shows the EPA is well out of touch with expectations of today,” he said.
“If they cannot improve on their time frames in the future, they should be closed down and environmental decisions outsourced.”
EPA executive director regional services directorate Damian Wells said the quantity of lead found at North Wangaratta presented “a significant health risk”.
“Lead exposure occurs through the ingestion of contaminated soil or dust or by drinking contaminated water,” he said. “EPA recognised the great significance and contribution the local football club made to the local community and has gone well beyond its regulatory role to advance a positive outcome.”
Mr Wells said all parties involved in the remediation, including EPA, Wangaratta Council, the football netball club and Wangaratta Clay Target Club, worked co-operatively through some challenging issues.
“It is a disappointment that conditions have not allowed for faster regrowth of grass to enable the football club to play home games there at this stage,” he said.
The EPA said it was available to meet with Mr McCurdy to explain the process and organisations’ roles.