Waste incineration inquiry opportunity to chuck it in the bin

Amanda Cohn

NSW Greens MP

6 August 2025

The Greens have successfully expanded the scope of an inquiry into waste-to-energy incinerators to include proposals across NSW, as well as examining alternatives to reduce or manage residual waste produced by Greater Sydney. 

It comes as Greens spokesperson for Health and for Waste Dr Amanda Cohn MLC was confirmed as the deputy chair of the NSW Legislative Council Select Committee on Wednesday. 

Dr Cohn has built on the Greens’ long-standing opposition to waste-to-energy incinerators since being elected in 2023, and was recently in Parkes to speak at an information night hosted by the Parkes Clean Future Alliance.

In addition to the proposal at Parkes, the government’s energy-from-waste framework permits facilities in Lithgow, Tarago near Goulburn, and Tomago in the Hunter region after similar projects were binned following community backlash in Sydney. 

In Parliament, Dr Cohn successfully moved an amendment to broaden the terms of reference of the Inquiry to include all of NSW, after it was initially proposed by the National Party to only look into the projects earmarked for Tarago and Parkes. 

Quotes attributable to Dr Amanda Cohn MLC:

“Waste management is a statewide issue, so this inquiry must have a statewide focus and not pit local communities against each other,” Dr Amanda Cohn said. 

“It’s clear that communities such as Parkes, where I visited last month, have not been properly consulted or even informed about the impacts of waste-to-energy incinerators.

“It is good to see the Nationals willing to have hard questions asked about a policy they supported when they were in government.

“For incinerator proposals to be taken off the table, the committee and the government must examine alternative solutions to reduce or manage waste.”