The Victorian left has joined the voices campaigning against Boral’s attempt to extend the lifespan and boundary of its Montrose quarry.
❓How we got here: In October, Boral announced the plans, which would increase the boundary by about 30 acres and provide access to about 26 million tonnes of rock over about 32 years.
🌳The Greens speak up: On December 3, North-Eastern Metropolitan MP Aiv Puglielli (Greens) urged Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to “stand up” to Boral and refuse the plans.
🗣️“The local member [Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino] does not want the expansion,” said Puglielli. “What is the point of having a government MP if they are being ignored by their own government?”
🎈Labor MP strongly opposed: Labor’s De Martino says she is “strongly opposed to the expansion of the Montrose Quarry” and is hosting a “Back off Boral” petition on her website.
🪧Local activists: Victorian Socialists North-East member Jack Gardner said the party believed the Montrose community “should make decisions about what happens in its own community”.
🗣️“I think it's a classic case of a massive corporate giant just running roughshod over an entire community,” Gardner told the Eastern Melburnian.
⏭️ What’s next: The power to approve or decline the extension sits with Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny, with a state government spokesperson saying the proposal "will be considered on its merits".
