By Sarah Tartakover
For nearly 30 years I have lived, worked, and raised three children in Melbourne’s inner west. For two decades I have followed the high-level advocacy work by MTAG (Maribyrnong Truck Action Group) to reduce trucks from residential streets in Melbourne’s west.
With good reason, my neighbours and I were excited when we heard of the West Gate Tunnel Project 11 years ago. We live a few blocks from Francis Street in Yarraville – a residential street that has suffered the worst pollution in the state as a result of the 5,000 trucks rumbling down it each day.
As the tunnel opening date loomed, I watched construction work from the end of our street and saw the northern ventilation stack rise ominously into the sky. Although I had looked at the West Gate Tunnel plans many times over the years, I was shocked by how close the stack was to Yarraville Gardens, a park enjoyed by dog walkers, picnickers and families. Children play football in summer, cricket in winter and tennis all year at the neighbouring Yarraville Tennis courts.
When I read that the stack and its twin near the Millers Road West Gate Tunnel exit would not be filtered, I was in disbelief. Up to 90% of toxic emissions can be extracted with filters. The technology is proven, available and used in many countries. Trucks would be off our streets and using the tunnel, but we would still be breathing in their harmful fumes as they spewed out of the stacks.
Desperate to find someone to discuss my concerns with, I found an MTAG newsletter and dialled a number. Martin Wurt, MTAG President answered. He let me vent for 15 minutes.
“I can’t believe they’re not filtering the stacks”, I said desperately.
“Welcome to my world!” Martin’s sigh reflected the exhaustion and frustration of someone who has spent 25 years of his life leading the fight for clean air.
MTAG was dismayed that the EPA did not think it necessary to require installation of filters, and a ‘Filter the Stacks’ protest was organised. Soon after, MTAG released a crowd-funded report by Synergetics Consulting Engineers that warned that under certain wind-conditions pollution would be pulled down towards residents rather than dispersed into the sky as promised by the EPA. The EPA’s plan is to require retrospective filtration of the stacks if deemed necessary. But the trigger for this is unclear and retrospectively reacting to air pollution once it has occurred does not uphold the EPA’s new 2021 environmental duty to take a preventative approach when managing pollution.
I became highly worried about the health of my children and our community. An ordinary position became available on the MTAG committee, and a month before the opening of the tunnel, I joined.
MTAG is an effective group with a number of achievements
At my first meeting, I was surprised by the small size of the MTAG committee, and the enormity of what they have achieved. I became the sixth member. With 70 plus collective years of membership, it quickly became apparent why MTAG has been so effective. The group’s professional experience spans creative arts, education, public service, journalism and consumer electronics. Some joined when their now adult children were young. They have held protests, run community information stalls, presented at government inquiries, written countless submissions, sat on community reference groups, met with Ministers, politicians, local Councillors, industry representatives, and health and air quality experts. The history page on their website is impressive.
My fists clenched as we reviewed the appalling health statistics of recent research reports. Melbourne’s west has the state’s highest rate of emergency department visits for childhood asthma as well as hospital admissions for stroke. Other diseases from air pollution include dementia, diabetes, lung cancer, bowel disease, brain tumours and mental health problems. A University of Melbourne report has found that excessive childhood asthma rates attributable to heavy vehicle emissions in the City of Maribyrnong cost taxpayers between $2,265,784 and $9,991,736 each year.
Martin, sensing my shock, explained that this is why so many previous MTAG committee members have moved out of the area.
MTAG continued the work it has been doing for decades: writing letters; monitoring truck incidents; gathering dashcam footage of smoky heavy vehicles; auditing trucks on inner west streets; and placing air monitors in hotspots. One member did a full audit of the No Truck Zones signage and found discrepancies. I wondered how everyone was fitting this volunteer work into their busy lives; juggling families, jobs and ageing parents.
MTAG has not been alone in championing for better air quality. There are other community groups who have fought for clean air over the years, demonstrating the widespread concern. This includes: Better West; Less Trucks for Moore; Save Willy Road; Footscray Truck Action Group; Yarraville Residents Traffic Group; Westgate Ramps Coalition; Brooklyn Residents Action Group; Concerned Locals of Yarraville; and the Inner West Air Quality Community Reference Group.
Clean air shouldn’t be something you have to fight for
Since joining MTAG I have attended two community consultation meetings with the EPA. I quickly came to appreciate the level of frustration and despondency of other committee members.
At one meeting I was bewildered when a conversation with EPA board members and executives demonstrated inconsistent understandings around the causality between air pollution and health impacts, and whether studies done provide enough evidence.
MTAG president Martin Wurt encapsulated his frustration: “The disconnect between community expectations and the EPA’s ability, desire and power to make real change is a vast chasm that never seems to get narrower, only wider.”
There is a sense that expectations are lower in the west. Because our air quality is already poor, we should be thankful that there’s some improvement. In Melbourne – the world’s most liveable city according to Time Out 2026 – your postcode has a lot to do with whether you are breathing clean air or not. Melbourne’s west has historically been working-class, and statistically bad air pollution disproportionately affects people in lower income areas. Everybody has the right to clean air. It is an environmental and social justice issue.
MTAG’s job is not complete.
Whilst the West Gate Tunnel and associated No Truck Zones and truck curfews have led to an appreciable decrease in heavy trucks on many residential streets, without urgent action adverse effects of air pollution will continue to grow. Heavy trucks now avoid tolls by ‘rat-running’ through Kensington village, the tunnel stacks remain unfiltered, and with ever increasing container movements at the port, there are new problems and more work to be done.
Responsibility for impactful large-scale change lies with State and Federal Government. It is time for trucks to transition to low and zero emission vehicles, and further truck bans must be initiated on Williamstown Road in Yarraville and Millers Road in Altona – both experiencing increases in trucks as a result of the West Gate Tunnel. Low emission corridors must also be established to incentivise upgrading an aging truck fleet that is one of the oldest in the developed world. We also need investment in transporting freight by rail to cut emissions.
A sense of achievement won’t be experienced until our poor health statistics start to dramatically improve. Until then, MTAG will continue its strong, coordinated action to protect the health of our inner west communities. It is a privilege to be part of such a committed group of people.
By the time MTAG turns 21 later this year, it is hoped there will be more to celebrate.
Keep your eye out for a party invitation!
