GREENS candidate for Bowman Emerald Moon says a drop-in session organised by Walker Corporation into Toondah Harbour was a disappointing charade.
Toondah Harbour communications manager Mr Dolan Hayes said Ms Moon's comments were disappointing given that she did not attend the consultation session.
"We have reached out to Ms Moon and look forward to briefing her on the Toondah Harbour master plan and the EIS," Mr Hayes said.
Ms Moon said Walker Corp had said the sessions were an opportunity to hear what was important to the community but that promise had gone out the window.
"People attending the drop-in session were told its purpose was not to get community feedback on the project but for the developer to tell the public about its plans," she said.
"The developer is saying this is 'part of a bigger consultation program' but they’ve got the process backwards.
"If you want the community to shape a project, you ask first, then you develop a plan.
"This tell-first-ask-later approach proves that Walker doesn’t want to take our concerns seriously."
Developer Walker Corp organised Friday's session at Cleveland and is to host another at Dunwich on Saturday, following the release by the federal government of the guidelines for a draft environment impact statement, which are up for comment until March 6.
Mr Hayes said the environmental impact statement process was just getting under way.
"We should all be looking to promote and support the robust process of environmental review and community engagement over the next 12 to 18 months," he said.
Ms Moon said she called on Walker to incorporate proper feedback processes into a second session at Dunwich on Saturday.
"If the developer wants us to believe this is anything but a box-ticking charade, they’ll take this opportunity to actually listen to what the community has to say," she said.
Ms Moon said that when attendees asked Walker representatives to take questions from the floor so that everyone could voice their concerns, they were told that was not the purpose of the drop-in.
Ms Moon said community members were told to direct feedback to the federal government as part of the environmental impact statement consultation process which was totally inadequate.
"The federal government is currently only seeking feedback on the guidelines for the developer’s EIS, in terms of scope and structure," she said.
"Not only does that have nothing to do with the project itself but the whole EPBC assessment process by the federal government won’t cover a lot of locals' concerns.
"The EIS will only deal with environmental issues, when there are a whole raft of other concerns about inadequate public infrastructure, increased traffic, privatisation and a lack of transparency surrounding the whole plan."
Mr Hayes said the issues Ms Moon raised like traffic and public infrastructure would be addressed as part of various state laws and planning processes that governed project approval.
"Between the federal government and the state government there will be no stone left unturned to ensure the proposal manages any impacts while delivering its many economic and community benefits," Mr Hayes said.
Saturday's session will be at Dunwich Public Hall, 6 Ballow Road on Saturday from 10am to 1pm.
The guidelines are at environment.gov.au/epbc/public-notices.
