Qld waste levy deterring interstate dumpers, but causing Budget blow

Queensland’s waste levy is successfully deterring interstate dumpers, but has resulted in a negative effect for the state.

QUEENSLAND’S war on interstate waste may not yet be won, but the State Government has the enemy on the run.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the Government’s introduction of a waste levy on has struck a big blow for the Sunshine State, with the tonnage of rubbish coming into Queensland plummeting.

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However the State Budget has been an unwitting casualty of the interstate waste war’s success, with the levy expected to raise $120 million less than forecast in 2019-20.

Treasurer Jackie Trad insisted the aim of the levy was to reduce the amount of interstate waste and improve the rate of recycling rather than raise money.

“When the Palaszczuk Government reintroduced a waste levy last year, we did so with the aim of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, and increasing jobs and investment in recycling industries,” Ms Trad said.

“Our plan is working.”

The levy, which is spread across 90 per cent of Queensland’s population, costs between $75 and $155 a tonne depending on the type of rubbish involved.

Over 1.2 million tonnes was forecast for landfill in 2019-20, but this is expected to fall to less than 500,000 tonnes.

Interstate waste is dumped near Ipswich in 2018.

The massive reduction is a result of NSW dumpers staying in their own state and local waste heading to resource recovery centres rather than landfill.

However, the levy’s success at deterring interstate rubbish has blown a hole in the State Budget, with the $430 million that was forecast to be raised over the first year now expected to fall to $306 million.

Ms Trad insisted 70 per cent of the revenue raised by the levy would still go into waste programs, environmental initiatives and community projects rather than be siphoned off for other purposes.

“By reintroducing a waste levy, we’ve moved into line with every other Australian state, but no other state reinvests as much as 70 per cent of its levy,” she said.

“That means over the next four years Queensland is projected to invest over $900 million in programs that will grow jobs in the recycling industry, reducing waste and lead to a cleaner Queensland.”