Air pollution
Katie HALL (Footscray) (13:27): Today I rise to provide an update on an important issue in my community, something I work hard on every day, and that is limiting the impact of truck movements from the port and improving air quality in Melbourne’s inner west. Last week I visited the SCT Altona precinct. The precinct is a logistics hub that connects Melbourne’s port by rail to regional Victoria and across the nation. Significantly for the inner west and the electorate of Footscray, the precinct is pivotal in limiting truck movements in the area, reducing emissions and improving air quality. Each daily train to Perth takes 200 B-doubles off the road. I also met with a local company, Environmental Technology Solutions, who are doing great work around the development of diesel engine filters. ETS’s cutting-edge technology will filter out diesel particulates from engine exhausts and help safeguard public health to create cleaner, more livable communities.
I am excited about what this innovative solution can do for the inner west. The Andrews Labor government has committed to improving the air quality in the west, as evidenced by the clean air for Melbourne’s west program. Part of this program, announced in the budget, is to remove old trucks from our roads and help operators to modernise their truck fleets. Finally, I am looking forward to my upcoming meeting with the Footscray truck action group to continue our ongoing dialogue. We will be discussing FTAG’s 10-point action plan and continuing our work on creating a cleaner and safer Footscray.