CENTRAL Wheatbelt MLA Lachlan Hunter has slammed the state government’s continued inaction on the Allawuna Farm landfill proposal near York, using his first grievance in Parliament to demand immediate clarity for the York community after 12 years of delays and growing frustration.

“York doesn’t want to become Perth’s dumping ground - but Labor continues to sit on the fence,” Mr Hunter said.

Despite raising the matter directly in Parliament, Mr Hunter said the response from Assistant Minister Kim Giddens, speaking on behalf of the Minister for Environment, offered “nothing but waffle, warm words and more waiting.”

“Labor gave us a history lesson, talked about tree hollows and landfill cell spacing, but couldn’t give a straight answer to the only question that matters: When will this be stopped?,” he said.

The proposed landfill would see up to 250,000 tonnes of Perth’s waste trucked into the Wheatbelt annually, placing enormous strain on local roads, ecosystems and the health and wellbeing of residents.

The proposal has been continuously opposed by the Shire of York and its residents and has been rejected multiple times by the Wheatbelt Joint Development Assessment Panel.

In 2023, the Environmental Protection Authority’s conditional approval triggered 133 formal appeals including from three local shires, numerous business and community groups and the Ballardong Noongar people and led to a parliamentary petition and public protest.

“This proposal would never be allowed in a leafy suburb of Perth. So why is Labor so comfortable dumping Perth’s waste in our backyard?” Mr Hunter asked.

The assistant minister advised that a decision may be made “in the second half of the year” - but gave no commitment, no reassurance, and no recognition of the deep community anxiety.

“Labor’s own candidate for Central Wheatbelt pledged at a public forum to ‘stop the tip’ — yet the Cook Government continues to dodge the issue.”

“Enough is enough. The community deserves an answer, not another political shrug. If Labor won’t stop this tip, I will keep fighting until they do.”