State Government waste tax to hit ratepayers

Ratepayers will bear the brunt of a waste tax against council, which will see a half a per cent rise in rates to make up the $1m alone. But the Mayor has put his case to local MPs.

Rockhampton rate payers are set to be hit by a new State Government Waste Tax. Picture: Liam Kidston

Rockhampton ratepayers are set to bear the brunt of a state waste tax against council, which will see a half a per cent rise in rates to make up the $1m cost to council alone.

Cr Williams has written to the Rockhampton region’s three LNP State MPs, Donna Kirkland, Nigel Hutton and Glen Kelly, seeking an urgent roundtable discussion on the issue.

Rockhampton ratepayers will not be the only one’s incurring the new cost with Gladstone, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast ratepayers also affected.

Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Tony Williams has spoken out against new state Waste Tax charge.

Previously the waste tax, which is collected by councils on behalf of the State Government, has been compensated through rebates but new arrangements will see those rebates progressively removed.

By the 2030/31 financial year Rockhampton is expected to see an annual shortfall of $2.9 million every year.

Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams has voiced his opposition to the State Government move.

“I think we can all agree that we need to change the way our waste and resource recovery sector operates but that won’t happen overnight,” Councillor Williams said.

“Nor can it happen without serious investment and a partnership between federal, state and local government.

“What we have seen is a decision to recoup costs upfront and at the expense of ratepayers.

“Locally that means Rockhampton is about $1 million worst off this year or a half a per cent rate rise. That means before we even start to develop council’s budget, there is a half a per cent rate rise going straight to local ratepayers.”

The Rockhampton Mayor has contacted State Minister for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland and several other LNP State Members to discuss the issue.

In a letter to Ms Kirkland, Mayor Williams said despite his belief that things need to change, he doesn’t believe the waste tax charge is the best way forward, especially in light of cost of living pressures.

“The Crisafulli Government’s policy will leave regional communities like Rockhampton to arbitrarily wear the brunt of this change with no way to reducing or lessening its impact,” the letter stated.

“Taking first and giving later will only hurt our community and will not secure the change we all want.

“I am urging you and your colleagues to rethink the introduction of these waste tax charges on the Rockhampton community and instead work with council to develop a real and practical plan to invest in infrastructure upfront and give us options to mitigate the waste tax before it is applied.”

His position is supported by Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor George Seymour.

Cr Seymour said the impact of the waste tax would only grow over the coming years, with Fraser Coast residents expected to pay more and more of the State Government’s tax through to 2030.

“What the State Government is proposing is to increase the impact of this tax every year for the next six years,” Councillor Seymour said.

“That’s going to have a massive impact on our local community as we continue to feel the impact of cost of living.

“We have a diverse community with many families and, particularly, our older residents having limited capacity to pay these increased charges.

“What we want is a pause to the introduction of the tax and to have the State Government work with councils to find solutions to divert waste from landfill.

“And we need that decision urgently.”

Rockhampton Regional Council is expected to hand down its Council Budget in June and will be required to include any introduction of a new waste tax charges.