LIMESTONE Coast councils will now pay 30pc more per tonne to dump rubbish as the State Government’s increase to the Solid Waste Levy officially comes into effect.
From today, councils will pay $70 per tonne, up from $55, with the government claiming the massive hike will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
In November, Mount Gambier City Council supported a move to increase gate fees at the Caroline Landfill for Wattle Range and Grant District councils and decrease fees at the Waste Transfer Station, which were to come into effect today.
At last month’s meeting, councillors deferred the decision until a workshop is held following protests by the neighbouring councils and an unprecedented criticism of the decision by City Council chief executive Andrew Meddle.
In a staff report, Mr Meddle labelled the decision to increase gate fees as demonstrating a “lack of collaboration” between the constituent councils.
He also raised concerns about the decision to slash waste transfer station fees by 40pc, saying both resolutions were made “without and understanding of the full impacts” and “demonstrates the danger of making policy without a breadth of information”.
The hike has also angered Local Government Association president Sam Telfer, who has labelled the increase as a “stealth attack” on ratepayers and criticised the government’s “meagre” $2.5m a year on offer for waste management improvements.
“The $2.5m the government has made available to councils and the industry for waste and recycling projects over the next four years is a complete farce when you consider councils will be asked to contribute $42.5m through the levy this coming year,” he said.
“We’ll be asking councils what this unjust levy hike means for their rates and making sure that every ratepayer is aware of every dollar that this disappointing State Government decision is costing them.”
State Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said residents should be prepared for hip pocket pain following the shock decision to increase taxes on household rubbish.
He said the bin tax was likely to result in higher rates or a decrease of council services.
The State Government has said additional revenue raised by the increase – $14.8m in 2019/20 and $24.9m per year from 2020/21 – will fund environmental programs, the levy will fund $48.4m worth of sand replenishment works in Adelaide.
