The state government should scrap plans to fund the construction of a biomass energy plant in Collie and instead build a waste-to-energy plant in its place, according to South West MLC Steve Thomas.
Dr Thomas said it would ‘make more sense’ for the South West to build a plant where waste would be disposed of and turned into energy, rather than wasting the ‘declining resource’ of native trees that are burned down to produce energy in a biomass plant.
Dr Thomas said there was already an ‘oversupply of energy’ and the state government would be forced to close energy-producing facilities in the future, but that a waste-to-energy plant would solve the South West’s issue of what to do with its waste.
The state government withdrew $4.2 million in funding for a South West Regional Waste facility back in March after local councils in the South West couldn’t agree on where the facility would be located.
Dr Thomas said it would be more beneficial to combine the waste disposal and biomass energy plant projects into one and construct a single facility that would work towards solving both issues.
WA Labor had previously committed $30 million in funding for a biomass energy plant to be built in Collie prior to last year’s state election, however the project hasn’t been allocated funding in either of the two budgets released since.
Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said the state government was still committed to supporting the construction of the biomass plant and the planting of necessary timber, but no proposals were brought forward.
“There is currently no application from anyone to build a biomass plant in Collie. The funding is set aside for future industry to help Collie diversify its economic base,” Mr Murray said.
“If someone did come forward with a solid business plan that stacked up, funding would be made available. The whole idea of this is to stimulate interest in economic development in Collie.
“I take exception to Mr Thomas’s criticism because in 8.5 years of Liberal-National government, no industry was brought into the Collie region. In fact, Mr Thomas’ party’s government at the time located a lithium plant in Kwinana, allowing ore to be driven straight past our doorstep.”
