Advance Morwell welcomes reopening of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Enquiry and Health Study funding but is critical of the lack of Government response to other issues facing Morwell

Advance Morwell Chairman John Guy OAM has welcomed the recent announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews on the reopening of The Hazelwood Mine Fire Enquiry and funding for the Mine Fire Health Study.

Mr Guy said “This is great news for Morwell, but the Government must give adequate notice to the community about the hearing dates to ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute.”

“The re-opening of the enquiry is an opportunity to bolster regulations as they apply to mining in Victoria and to ascertain the veracity of claims that the mine fire contributed to the local deaths.” 

According to Mr Guy, Advance Morwell is extremely concerned and disappointed that other significant issues facing Morwell are being ignored by the State Government.

“Letters to Government Ministers on issues such as the construction of the Morwell Primary School,  the future restoration of Power Station sites and Local Government governance are not even being acknowledged”  Said Mr Guy.

“Morwell has suffered greatly over recent years and we need certainty that as industry transitions, we will not be left with disused industrial sites and poorly rehabilitated infrastructure” 

“The former and long disused SECV interconnecting railway bridge at Morwell’s Western entrance is a stark and ongoing reminder of the visible scars that will be left behind if Government does not effectively regulate and control the deindustrialisation of this region.”  He added.

Authorised by; John V Guy OAM

Chairman.

Advance Morwell Inc.