Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:06): My question is for the Minister for Agriculture. Bacchus Marsh is a vital food bowl of Victoria, feeding the people of Melbourne and beyond. This area is prime market garden land due to its water access and alluvial soil sitting alongside the Lerderderg and Werribee rivers. This farmland to the west of Melbourne grows 83 per cent of the state’s cauliflower, 53 per cent of the state’s broccoli and 34 per cent of the state’s lettuce. The proposal to dump toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel at Maddingley Brown Coal has generated significant local concern over the potential for contamination to seep into the irrigation system. The question I ask is: can the minister guarantee Bacchus Marsh farmers that their agricultural produce will not be contaminated if toxic soil is dumped at Maddingley Brown Coal?