Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Constituency Questions
12 November 2025
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
My question is for the Minister for Environment and it concerns the malodorous Kealba landfill.
My constituents are gobsmacked at reports that the EPA is considering reinstating Barro Group’s landfill licence after dropping criminal charges earlier this year. As the minister will be aware, hotspot fires have been burning at the landfill for six years and will likely continue for another four years.
Residents who live only a couple of hundred metres from the tip describe the smell as a mix of chemical fertilisers, rotten eggs, molten plastics and burning animal carcasses.
My constituents ask: will the minister rule out reinstating the Barro Group’s licence, and if not, what are the minister’s plans to strengthen EPA enforcement against further breaches of environmental duty at this and other waste management operators?
Written Answer
Received: 19 December 2025
Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP
(Minister for Environment, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Outdoor Recreation)
Thank you to the Member for his question about the reports surrounding Barro Group’s Kealba Landfill licence.
I acknowledge community’s disappointment in EPA’s decision to discontinue criminal charges, and wish to reassure you EPA remains committed and focused on their action to regulate Barro Group in relation to their EPA operating licence for the Kealba landfill. EPA has sought an extension of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) licence revocation decision date until 1 December 2025.
EPA has strong new enforcement powers under the Environment Protection Act 2017 to prevent harm to human health and the environment. EPA’s focus has been to ban the acceptance of waste at the site, reduce harm and remediate the site and the actions EPA has taken include issuing several remedial notices requiring the duty holder to extinguish hotspots, cap and cover the landfill, manage odour and undertake an environmental audit. As a result, 3 of the 4 hotspots have been extinguished. Unfortunately, hotspots take a significant time to extinguish due to the size, density and waste at Kealba.
A final decision on Barro’s licence status is yet to be made and EPA is considering all regulatory options.
[ENDS]
