LABOR leader Peter Malinauskas has slammed the State Government’s 40pc increase to the solid waste levy but has not committed to repealing the tax if elected at the March 2022 polls.
Mr Malinauskas told the crowd at Sunday night’s shadow cabinet community forum Limestone Coast residents should be rightfully frustrated by an increase on the landfill levy given it will fund $48.4m for metropolitan sand replenishment works.
However, Mr Malinauskas would not be drawn on reversing the landfill levy – which was initially introduced by the former Weatherill Government saying “I think that’s how politicians get themselves into trouble”.
“What you have to do is have a comprehensive policy and do the work while in opposition so when you get into government, you do not have to make hasty decisions that are inconsistent with what you promised before the election,” he said “The problem with the Marshall Liberal Government is they take with one hand and give with the other.
“They have increased land tax, basically every fee, rate and charge they can possibly contemplate over and above the rate of inflation and the bin tax is the worst example of that.
“It is an extraordinary policy for a party which purports to represent the regions.”
Mr Malinauskas said the increase of $50 a tonne to $70 a tonne for country councils was unfair given a majority of the $64m raised from the levy increase would be channelled into moving sand at West Beach.
The Labor leader said if elected at the 2022 election, the party would not increase the bin tax by another $40m and spend all the money on a beach in the city.
“We are going to make sure we take to the election a tax policy we stick to in government,” he said.
“We will go to the election with a considered robust tax policy that everyone will know before they vote for us … unlike saying we will reduce costs and then increasing the bin tax.”
