By AIDAN KNIGHT   A VICTORIAN tribunal decision blocking a key Melbourne waste transfer station has thrown the future of the $600 million Maryvale waste-to-energy project in doubt, putting hundreds of Latrobe Valley jobs at risk. The proposed station was instrumental to the South East Metropolitan Advanced Waste Processing (SEMAWP) project, now left up in the air after the state government rejected its establishment. EPA Victoria previously found the proposal posed “unacceptable risks” to nearby residents of the project’s Hampton Park transfer station, primarily relating to odour and noise emissions, but the Allan Labor government has offered no further solution or alternative. The SEMAWP plan was to combine the collective rubbish from nine metro Melbourne shires and councils, including Greater Dandenong, Cardinia, and Casey – equating to a potential 550,000 tonnes of waste. The Hampton Park facility was intended to sort and consolidate the waste before it was transported to Maryvale. After amalgamating one man’s trash with 499,000 others, plans were to install a Maryvale incinerator equipped to perform waste-to-energy processes in line with the heavily promoted Clean Energy Transition within the SEC and their operations in the Latrobe Valley. These contracts were supposed to be issued for 25 years at a time. The Gippsland Trades and Labour Council said the project represented a rare opportunity to provide long-term industrial employment for workers affected by the closure of coal-fired power stations, including Yallourn and Hazelwood The Maryvale facility is a $600 million project developed by Opal Australian Paper, Veolia, and the Masdar Tribe, creating 60 local fulltime jobs, as well as 455 in construction, while also maintaining strong support for the adjacent APM mill to which it would be connected. The Trades and Labour Council said construction alone would support around 500 Victorian jobs per year over three years of Stage 1 development, while also delivering “flow-on” employment across the region. Mining and Energy Union President Andy Smith told the Express the facility was “still on track to start construction up until this decision”. The VCAT ruling, handed down on Friday, April 10, upheld the Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) original refusal to grant a development licence for the Hampton Park site. The tribunal cited “unacceptable odour” as a primary factor in its decision, siding with community concerns regarding the facility’s proximity to residential areas. This legal roadblock places the entire Maryvale Waste to Energy project at risk, as the Hampton Park station was the critical link for sorting and transporting the massive volume of municipal waste required to fuel the Latrobe Valley incinerator. Without a viable alternative for waste consolidation, the $600 million investment and the hundreds of promised regional jobs remain in jeopardy. This has once again led to outcry against Minister for Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio, within the heart of the most important region to her SEC portfolio – the Latrobe Valley. The opposition specifically identified Minister D’Ambrosio as the person responsible for how “off the rails” the project became, despite it having great benefit for not only her work as Energy Minister, but also as Minister for Climate Action. The Maryvale incinerator would have reduced Victoria’s net CO2 emissions by 270,000 tonnes per year, in its Stage 1 plan – while simultaneously diverting more than 300,000 tonnes of waste from landfill in the same timeframe. The Express approached Minister D’Ambrosio when she was in town for a media event last month at the Delburn Wind Farm, but was not given the opportunity to speak with her on the matter. Attempts to reach her office have also proven unsuccessful. At this stage, no alternative transfer station site has been publicly identified. Now, with Latrobe Valley transition project thrown into doubt after government-backed planning defeat, pressure is mounting on the Allan government to provide clarity on whether an alternative waste consolidation site will be pursued to keep the Maryvale proposal alive. The loss of the Maryvale project could represent another setback for the region’s long-term economic future.

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT   THE closure of Yallourn Power Station raises many questions and ambiguities for the Latrobe Valley’s premier industry and workforce. A transition plan from the state government for Yallourn workers is still yet to be determined, and concisely mapped out with just over two years left until its July, 2028 closure, according to Mining and Energy Union Victorian Branch President, Andy Smith. Since Energy Australia announced Yallourn’s closure in 2021, Mr Smith said that the best part of five years have been wasted preparing “for the inevitable.” “A fair transition for Yallourn workers looks like opportunities to redeploy into local jobs within the Latrobe Valley,” he told the Express. “Jobs that pay well, jobs that are secure, and jobs that let families remain where they live, and have lived for many years. “There is no investment, no new industry, and currently, little opportunity to present to these workers.” As such, Mr Smith said that the angst among Yallourn’s workforce is “through the roof”, with those future opportunities obscured, forcing them to contemplate moving away to work interstate. “They have to make decisions about moving interstate to find work, and no one wants to be thinking that,” he said. “People want to see that there is a process in place that is going to help them redeploy locally, remain local and keep their families in the area.” Mr Smith further stated that this indecisiveness has made the Latrobe Valley “extremely unattractive for investment, especially large industry” as the unknown permeates. Signalling blame at Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, subject to much scrutiny from opposition, Mr Smith said that there is continual inability by the state government to approve new projects that will fill the hole of the coal-powered industry. “That (undesirable investment) boils down, really, to the lack of appetite (and) lack of assistance from the state government, in particular, Minister D’Ambrosio, when it comes to approving projects for the Latrobe Valley,” Mr Smith said. However, he also said that everyone – from those in office, opposition leaders, local council, and the industry itself – has failed to act in accordance to the needs of the people soon to be out of work. Since the new year, steps have been taken in the right direction. In late February, the Net Zero Economy Authority (NZEA) toured the Latrobe Valley, including meeting with Latrobe City Council and speaking to workers on-site at Yallourn regarding consultation for a transition of work. The consultation sought to understand how workers and businesses are impacted by the power station’s closure, what support can already be accessed, and what other employment opportunities exist in the region. Following the visit, the NZEA’s chief executive David Shankey applied for an Energy Industry Jobs Plan (EIJP) through the Fair Work Commission, which makes the final decision on which employers are included in the EIJP, requiring them to provide transition supports for their employees. An EIJP provides training for future work, paid time off, flexible working arrangements, and career financial advise. The NZEA’s first EIJP was secured at AGL’s Torrens Island B Power Station in South Australia, which is also set to close in 2028. During its visit, the NZEA also met with Energy Australia, RTL, and other contractors, as well as community groups and other local employers, while also visiting Regional Development Victoria workshops. At the March Latrobe City Council meeting, council endorsed its submission to the NZEA, advocating for a coordinated approach to workforce transition ahead of Yallourn’s scheduled closure. In its submission, council highlighted the significant economic, social and financial impacts that Yallourn’s closure will have across the municipality. This also includes the need for timely, mandated and proportionate support for impacted workers, families, businesses, and the broader community. Latrobe City mayor, Sharon Gibson acknowledged the affect on the entire community and council’s wish to support everyone. “The closure affects us and we need to get the plan right for our people,” she said. “It is imperative that the (NZEA) take on board the points raised in our submission. “This will ensure that workers at Yallourn, as well as our community, have security into the future.” The mayor and deputy mayor, Dale Harriman further delivered this point to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during council’s recent visit to Canberra, emphasising how the Latrobe Valley is one of the most impacted regions during the phase of energy transition. When raised, the Prime Minister was said to have recognised this and agreed to visit the Latrobe Valley in the future. Council added that it will continue to work with government, industry and the community to support a coordinated transition that protects jobs, strengthens the economy and supports long-term resilience across the region. The Express reached out to Minster D’Ambrosio for comment, but did not receive a response before deadline.

Singer-songwriter Andy Smith offers a timeless sound that flows across genres with a blend of grit and melody that draws from rock tradition. Originally from Bristol in the UK and now based in South A...