THE Sunshine Coast Council is one of 19 Queensland councils hit by a new waste levy impost from July 1, with the State Government now requiring councils to pay 30 per cent of the state’s waste levy—effectively introducing what is being called a “bin tax”.
While several councils have already been contributing to the levy in recent years, the latest change will see about $30 million per council in state-funded offsets removed from local governments, including the Sunshine Coast.
Previously, most Queensland councils had the waste levy fully offset by the State Government to ease the financial burden on households. The levy is used to cover the cost of sending waste to landfill.
The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has launched a campaign, #binthetax, calling on the State to reverse course.
“This is happening because councils in waste levy zones will no longer receive the 100 per cent offset which has been paid by the state,” LGAQ chief executive officer Alison Smith said.
“That offset has been paid to councils in order to prevent the levy being applied to household bins.
“However that is all changing, with the offset dropping to 70 per cent for some councils this financial year, and the offset amount forecast to drop each year going forwards unless the State Government agrees to a reset.”
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the region was already under strain.
“We’re working hard to manage that growth responsibly, without passing unnecessary costs onto our householders,” Mayor Natoli said.
“But the State’s waste levy amounts to a bin tax that hits households directly and it’s a cost we simply cannot absorb.
“We’re standing with the LGAQ to say no to a bin tax because it’s our job to stand up for our community.”
