By Kirra Livingstone
THE Sunshine Coast Council will have to fork out an additional $26 million a year, after the Queensland Government removed 30 per cent of offsets which covered the state’s waste levy.
Previously, most Queensland councils’ waste levy was 100 per cent offset by the State Government, but as of July 1, 19 major councils will be required to pay 30 per cent of the state’s waste levy.
This means the Sunshine Coast council will have to pay $37.70 per every standard 240 litre bin service this year. The levy covers the cost of dumping waste which goes to landfill.
The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has launched a campaign, #binthetax, calling on the State to reverse course.
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.
“The State’s waste levy amounts to a bin tax that hits households directly and it’s a cost we simply cannot absorb.”
