The Australian Government has formally distanced itself from the proposed Vuda Waste-to-Energy power plant at Naikorokoro Point in Saweni, Lautoka, saying it is not involved in any talks relating to the controversial A$1.4 billion (about US$900 million) project proposed by The Next Generation (TNG) Fiji.
In a statement to this newspaper, the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the Vuda facility is a private sector initiative and that Canberra “has no involvement with the proposed facility at Naikorokoro Point, Fiji.” The department added it “does not have jurisdiction over the construction of waste facilities or privately-owned ports in other countries,” underlining that any engagement would be on a commercial, not governmental, basis.
The clarification comes as TNG has told Fijian authorities and the public during consultations earlier this year that it intends to import up to 700,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste from overseas – including Australia and New Zealand – to feed the plant. TNG says the facility would need about 900,000 tonnes of waste overall to generate 80 megawatts of electricity, figures that have prompted debate over sourcing and regulatory compliance.
Crucially, the Australian department confirmed it has received no permit applications from TNG or its named representatives – Ian Malouf and Rob Cromb – for the export of waste to Fiji. Under Australia’s Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 and the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) (Waigani Convention) Regulations 1999, unsorted household rubbish is classified as hazardous waste and the regulations preclude granting permits for hazardous waste exports to Pacific Island Forum countries, including Fiji, because both countries are parties to the Waigani Convention.
The department also outlined the formal permit process under the Act: any person proposing to export hazardous waste must apply to the minister in a prescribed form and provide detailed information on the proposal, the physical and chemical characteristics of the waste, transport routes, the recipient, and timing – with proposals required to be carried out within a 12‑month window. The department said no such application has been lodged by Malouf, Cromb or TNG Fiji.
TNG has previously described the planned imports as “non‑hazardous,” but the Australian clarification highlights legal and practical hurdles if the company seeks to source significant volumes of waste from Australia. If the material were to be reclassified as hazardous or deemed unsorted household garbage, permits for export to Fiji would appear to be blocked by existing Australian law and international obligations under the Waigani Convention.
The department’s statement represents the latest development in a project that has already drawn public attention in Fiji during recent consultations. By explicitly denying governmental involvement and confirming the absence of export permit applications, Australia has signalled that any cross‑border supply of feedstock for the Vuda plant would depend on private arrangements that must nonetheless satisfy strict Australian export controls and regional treaty obligations. How TNG proposes to meet the plant’s stated 900,000‑tonne feedstock requirement without Australian permits remains a central question for the project’s viability going forward.