Council votes again on bringing Gympie waste to M’boro

It comes after a “communication breakdown” between the two councils.

Fraser Coast CEO Ken Diehm said the council was informed last year that the Gympie Regional Council landfill would reach full capacity between August and December next year and that they had not identified a solution for the future disposal of their waste.

The possibility of Gympie waste being disposed of in Maryborough remains on the table after a vote at Fraser Coast Regional Council's March meeting.

It comes after a vote in February in which the Fraser Coast council agreed to be open to negotiating a deal in which rubbish would be transported from Gympie to the Maryborough landfill as its own landfill site nears capacity.

In the latest vote at the most recent council meeting Cr Paul Truscott moved to rescind the original resolution to explore the possibility of disposing of Gympie's waste in Maryborough.

The motion was lost five to six with Cr Truscott, Mayor George Seymour, Cr Jade Wellings, Cr Phil Truscott and Cr Daniel Sanderson voting in favour of rescinding the resolution.

In February, after the council's initial vote was revealed by the Chronicle, with only Mayor George Seymour and Councillor Daniel Sanderson voting against that motion, Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig and council chief executive Shane Gray said they were not aware of the deal done to dispose of waste on the Fraser Coast.

At the time, Mr Gray said it appeared there had been a communication breakdown between two councils.

An overeager senior executive with Gympie Regional Council was understood to be the individual who asked the Fraser Coast council about disposing of the city's waste at Maryborough Landfill.

A Fraser Coast council spokesman said a letter had been received from Mr Gray, supporting the exploration and investigation of potential opportunities for regional waste disposal and recycling.

"As a result, at its meeting on Wednesday, March 24, council voted not to rescind the motion from the February 24 meeting and keep communications channels open," the spokesman said.

The decision to transport waste between Gympie and Maryborough drew the ire of Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders, who raised concerns toxic waste and asbestos could be among the materials trucked into his region.

Fraser Coast CEO Ken Diehm said the council was informed last year that the Gympie Regional Council landfill would reach full capacity between August and December next year and they had not identified a solution for the future disposal of their waste.

"On September 23, 2020 the FCRC was advised in writing by a GRC senior executive that the matter had been discussed with the GRC CEO and that 'Gympie Regional Council would be interested to secure the landfill airspace at Maryborough Landfill instead of transferring to one of the private landfills in the Ipswich area'" Mr Diehm said.

"Since this contact in September 2020, the FCRC has been provided with detailed information from Gympie Regional Council and has been working with senior executive staff from Gympie Regional Council to undertake the necessary due diligence to properly consider their request.

"Our council was willing to help Gympie Regional Council, and deliver improved environmental outcomes for the region, by negotiating an agreement for the disposal of their waste at the Maryborough landfill."

Originally published as Council votes again on bringing Gympie waste to M'boro