Casey Council is denying community claims of a conflict of interest in its approval of a proposed Hampton Park waste transfer station.
Community groups have accused Casey Council of, prior to approving the station, being party to a waste-to-energy supply agreement that made the Hampton Park station a prerequisite to the deal.
However, Casey Council has stated that the planning assessment was conducted independently of the agreements.
City of Casey, along with eight neighbouring South East councils, formed a company South East Metropolitan Advanced Waste Processing (SEMAWP).
The alliance entered into contractual agreements with a consortium comprising Veolia, Masdar Tribe and Opal to deliver residual waste to an Energy from Waste facility to be developed by the consortium at Maryvale in Gippsland.
The agreement was signed around July-August 2024.
In mid-May 2025, Mick Cummins, the chair of SEMAWP and the former Bayside Council CEO, stated that an aspect of the agreements is to use a waste transfer facility at Hampton Park to collect and consolidate the waste for transportation to Maryvale.
“The consolidation of the waste for transportation is critical to the viability of the proposal,” the chair stated in a letter to Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA).
“SEMAWP has contracted to the consortium on the basis that the Hampton Park Transfer Station would … gain a permit for operation.”
Star News has confirmed with Mr Cummins that the information he provided in this letter is accurate.
When asked if there is any alternative location for the proposed waste transfer station in the agreement, Mr Cummins did not respond.
Several months after the agreements were signed, Casey Council approved a planning permit for the proposed waste transfer station in November, before the elected councillors returned to Bunjil Place.
This year, the newly elected councillor group have moved against the proposed facility. Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen has written letters to Ministers and the EPA, expressing community concerns.
Scott Watson, the president of LRA, said there are serious concerns about Casey Council’s role in SEMAWP and the timing of agreements linked to the proposed Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station.
“This agreement sets prerequisites for the facility and was signed before Council formally approved the development. This raises the perception that the outcome was predetermined or prejudiced, rather than subject to a genuine, transparent planning process,” he said.
“For our community, that looks and feels like a conflict of interest.”
The concern was echoed by the vice president of Casey Residents & Ratepayers Association (CRRA) Anthony Tassone.
He said for residents, the sequence of the two events created a “reasonable perception of conflict, secrecy and raises questions about whether the planning process was truly independent and did not have a pre-determined outcome”.
City of Casey Director City Planning and Infrastructure James Collins said the planning process is independent of any contractual obligations Casey has to Veolia.
“There is not – and cannot be – a contractual requirement for the City of Casey to guarantee the issuing of a permit. The City of Casey assessed the Waste Transfer Station planning permit application in accordance with its obligations as the Responsible Authority,” he said.
“A permit was issued subject to conditions, including providing updated reports to address environmental considerations.
“In addition to a planning approval, Veolia also needs a development licence from the EPA, which is currently being reviewed by VCAT. This process is independent of the Council. Casey is not involved in the VCAT proceedings or liable for any outcomes from the EPA or VCAT decisions.”
Mr Collins also said SEMAWP procurement was led by the State Government through the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, on behalf of nine participating councils.
“This process followed strict State Government guidelines, including independent oversight to ensure fairness, transparency, and confidentiality,” he said.
“No City of Casey Planning Officers were involved in the SEMAWP procurement.
“City of Casey officers involved in the SEMAWP procurement declared a potential interest and did not participate in the consideration of a planning permit for the proposed Hampton Park Transfer Station.”
Casey Council refused residents’ Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to access the briefing document given to the administrators at a closed council meeting in July last year to enter into an Advanced Waste procurement agreement with SEMAWP.
The matter has now been referred to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner for further consideration.
