Gold Coast tips: Ratepayers hit with new recycling charge

Gold Coasters have come out in support for the council’s decision to slug ratepayers an extra $10 a year to boost recycling. HERE’S WHY

Gold Coasters have come out in support for council’s decision to slug ratepayers an extra $10 a year to boost recycling.

The Bulletin last week revealed the levy will come into effect on July 1 after the Gold Coast City Council voted the controversial measure through in this month’s annual budget after more than 18 months of debate on the issue.

The recycling utility charge is expected to raise around $2.7m annually which will go towards funding infrastructure and services to reduce waste being disposed in landfills.

Bulletin readers were largely understanding of the move.

There was a long line of cars at the entrance of Molendinar Waste and Recycling Centre today ahead of Council's decision to start charging fees for entry. 19 June 2022 Molendinar Picture by Richard Gosling

Bruce said: “This is great for casual mowing operators and pensioners etc who do the occasional mowing job!”

Carpe Diem wrote: I can live with this tip charge. It’s two cups of coffee but it will no doubt increase over the years, the old thin edge of the wedge trick”

“The bottom line is that tips cost a motza to operate, require land reasonably close to suburbia that could possibly have other uses, can ponk which means houses nearby complain (even if the tip was there before they built) but we as a community just take them for granted.

“We have all these wonderful recycling schemes but the only way that we will ever get people to put a focus on household rubbish is to hit them in the hip pocket.”

COAST RATEPAYERS TO FORK OUT FOR TIP VISITS

Gold Coast ratepayers will fork out $10 a year to go to the tip from July 1 as cost of living pressure continues to rise.

The Gold Coast City Council voted the controversial measure through in last week’s annual budget after more than 18 months of debate on the issue.

The recycling utility charge is expected to raise around $2.7m annually which will go towards funding infrastructure and services to reduce waste being disposed in landfills.

And there’s more pain to come, with the move “not financially connected to the state government axing a waste levy payment from July 2023 which will create a $140m hole in the city budget.

Mayor Tom Tate defended the move and said the decision had been made after extensive community consultation.

“It found people would rather a $5 levy (per six-month rates cycle) and have the ability to go to the tip after that for the rest of the year rather than pay at the gate,” he said.

“Nobody will blink at that because of the convenience of it – I’ll be able to be there on Sunday in my dirty jeans and be able to do it because there won’t be any fuss.”

Mr Tate confirmed all funds raised under the levy would go back into the council’s waste strategy rather than general revenue pool.

“It’s recycling basically,” the Mayor said.

Mayor Tom Tate with the new budget. Picture Glenn Hampson

“This is just part of the solution and the next part will be an education campaign – the cheapest way to deal with our waste is to sort it properly at home.”

However, for many households it is just the latest hit to the hip pocket after last week’s budget revealed rates would rise 4.3 per cent, adding an extra $3.10 a week to ratepayers’ bills, along with two back-to-back interest rate hikes.

More than 5000 people took party in community consultation on the issue of our city’s waste facilities in September last year.

The consultation was done as part of the council’s 2024 solid waste strategy. Of those surveyed, 70 per cent said they were wiling to pay more for improved recycling, while 89 per cent said the city’s recycling target should be above 35 per cent.

Gold Coast Community Alliance president John Hicks said that it was unfortunate that the levy was being introduced at a time when cost of living pressures were growing but it a necessary move.

“Sustainable waste management does come at a cost and this is something we have to be conscious of,” he said.

“We want our waste managed property and, given the withdrawal of state funding, the gap has to be made to keep this service at a high level. Council’s adjustment seems to be the right thing to do given it is relatively modest.”

Community leader John Hicks

Council documents say: “We’re also continuing to focus on improving recycling, resource recovery and reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill. In order to invest in infrastructure to increase recycling initiatives, your general rates notice will now include a $5 Recycling Utility Charge as a separate line item on your bill,” the document reads.

“Your $5 investment, along with a new $10m fund established by the City, will support initiatives like community recycling hubs and programs, green organics drop-and-go sites and infrastructure to ensure we can recycle more materials.

“The new initiatives are in line with the State Waste Strategy, which encourages local governments to extend the life of landfills by recycling more and burying less waste annually.”

Council is yet to determine how it will deal with the expected $140m hit to the city budget left by the state government’s phasing out of waste rebates.

A council report released earlier this year revealed all state waste levy rates in southeast Queensland would increase by $10 per tonne each year, until the general levy rate reaches $145 per tonne in July 2027.

All levy rates will then increase each year in line with the consumer price index.

But from July 2023, the annual state payment will be reduced year on year until it reaches 20 per cent of the 2021–2022 payment for councils.

Research by council officers warned city leaders that even its best efforts to reduce costs by promoting recycling – wouldn’t make a huge dent on the financial impact.

Cr Tate at the time said “anger in the community will be palpable”.

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Originally published as Gold Coast tips: Ratepayers hit with new recycling charge