Updated 14 June 2024
Council holds itself to the highest standards of governance, transparency and safety.
Council remains committed to providing a safe living and working environment for all and is taking all appropriate steps within the extent of Council’s role to ensure the health and safety of the Hobsons Bay community.
Following its letter of 5 April 2024, Council has written to people living at Techno Park and to ExxonMobil.
A joint letter has been sent to WorkSafe Victoria and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria and their Ministers about the future safety of people living at Techno Park.
A letter has also been sent to the Minister for Planning regarding a range of strategic and operational opportunities and concerns.
Council’s letter to ExxonMobil asks that the company provides confirmation on the safety matters, and current and future uses of the South Tank Farm, a major hazard facility that is immediately east of Techno Park.
ExxonMobil is the operator of the hazard facility, as governed by state government agencies including WorkSafe.
The joint letter to WorkSafe Victoria and the EPA asks that the agencies work with all community stakeholders to consider the current and future risks associated with Techno Park units being situated next to a major hazard facility and being used for residential purposes, and to provide any information about the safety of Techno Park residents.
As the state government agencies that regulate safety and environmental protection in Victoria, Council wants to work closely with the EPA and WorkSafe, and all relevant agencies, on any next steps to ensure that people are safe.
The letter to the planning minister asks for more guidance and planning clarity about major hazard facilities and existing use rights, along with a range of other improvements and provides the Council endorsed submission to the emerging Plan for Victoria state strategy.
Letters are also being sent people living at Techno Park and their representatives to explain that further enforcement action has been paused until 1 October 2024 or after to allow people to apply for certificates to assess their existing use rights as a result of the February 2024 state changes to all planning schemes by the Minister for Planning.
The letter also explains to people living at Techno Park that there may be building law, emergency management and safety implications for their homes and provides details of how to get more information.
Council is not the agency that governs major hazard facilities in Victoria, and is one of many government agencies involved in emergency management.
There are many organisations in Hobsons Bay that support the community during challenging situations including financial counselling, emergency relief, utility relief and support, mental health assistance, and support services for older people.
Our letters to the community continue to provide information about how to obtain hardship support and housing advice, among other services.
Community contacts for Council
A new Techno Park email address has been created for community questions.
It is technoparkFAQs@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
We will consider each question carefully and reply to all emails with the response(s) appropriate to the questions. We will create an FAQ library of questions that are suitable to share, noting some questions we may not legally be able to answer.
You can call 1300 179 944 and staff will direct you to a senior person to either answer your enquiry or take your details to be able to respond in writing.
We will respect the privacy and safety of our community in accordance with the law and best practice in our correspondence and phone calls with you.
Please note that general Council staff won’t be able to verbally answer questions regarding Techno Park, we will make sure the right person answers your questions, if possible, in the right way.
We will be as timely as possible in our response, accepting that some questions may be more complex than others.
Media contacts for Council
Media enquiries should still be sent only to the media inbox.