The Federal Government is showing its total contempt for Western Australians by failing to release an environmental report on the BGC brickworks plan at Perth Airport, according to Planning and Infrastructure minister Alannah MacTiernan.
Ms MacTiernan said this was another example of the flawed process adopted by Canberra to assess non-aviation development on airport land.
"We know Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has made his report, but we may never know what is in it," Ms MacTiernan said.
"If this proposal was under State jurisdiction, a bulletin would be published by the EPA and that report would be open to appeal.
"Any objections would be the subject of a further report by the Appeals Convenor and a final public decision by the WA Environment Minister," she said.
Ms MacTiernan said in this case, under Federal regulations, there would be no public accountability and no transparency.
"There are two brickworks already located within Perth's north west corridor airshed, and we have no reason to believe the cumulative effect on local air quality is being taken into account.
"It is also far from clear if the Commonwealth has any power to monitor or enforce pollutions controls outside the boundaries of the airport, which means nearby residents will have no protection," she said.
The Minister said using airport land for this project with no reference to State laws was a fraud on the constitution.
"What confidence can Western Australians have in environmental and planning controls if there were to be a push to approve a nuclear power plant on Commonwealth land?"
