Premier Allan hears of need for State Government assistance clearing hard waste in Mirboo North

Mirboo North community member Sandra Kavanagh raised a pertinent question about waste disposal at the town’s Friday Town Hall meeting, asking what assistance is available for residents to clear hard rubbish resulting from Tuesday’s storm.

Having lost her Balook Street roof, she is concerned about the danger posed by the twisted corrugated iron should strong winds arise and is keen to clear the hard waste.

Sandra queried whether hard waste can be disposed of for free, as is the case for green waste and spoiled food during the current two-week amnesty introduced by South Gippsland Shire Council that applies at the shire’s transfer stations.

Council CEO Kerryn Ellis explained to the Sentinel-Times that council is lobbying the State Government and Emergency Management Victoria, expressing her appreciation of Friday’s Mirboo North visit by Premier Jacinta Allan.

“To be frank, it exceeds our capacity as a council to process all of that,” Kerryn said of the vast quantity of hard waste caused by the storm.

“So, this morning when I met with the Premier and later today with Emergency Management Victoria, we made it very clear to them that similar to the bushfire situation we need State coordination to clear that waste, and we’d be looking for the State to pick it up from people’s properties so that they don’t need to transport it.”

The council CEO is optimistic she will be able to make a positive announcement about that in the next few days.

Kerryn empathises with the challenge people are facing.

“I can reassure them that we are advocating hard and clearly to the State that it’s a State level issue just because of the sheer volume,” she said.

She said both the Premier and Emergency Management Victoria were receptive.