Backlash to Melbourne Council’s plan for new waste removal charge

A Melbourne council has flagged a plan to introduce a separate waste removal charge, prompting outrage from residents.

A Melbourne council has flagged a controversial plan to introduce a separate bin charge for residents, despite a similar waste levy being shot down years ago.

In the Yarra City Council’s draft 2022-23 Budget, it noted it would be “investigating the potential introduction of a separate waste charge”.

The majority of councils in Victoria already have a separate waste charge in place, but Yarra is one of the eight that doesn’t as the cost of rubbish removal is already embedded in the council rates.

In the draft Budget, the council claimed waste managed costs have “increased substantially” due to rises in the State Government Landfill Levy.

“A separate waste charge would bring Yarra into line with the overwhelming majority of councils across Victoria and may potentially allow for further investments in its waste collection services to ensure Yarra remain a leader in the sustainability space,” the draft Budget states.

“It will also assist Council in meeting upcoming legislative requirements.”

The Council will seek community feedback on the separate waste charge proposal.

Adam Promnitz, founder of local group Yarra Residents Collective slammed the idea as “tone deaf’.

“This council isn’t doing a good enough job if they can increase cost of services for residents,” he told the Herald Sun.

The Yarra Council has responded to concerns, saying its only intention is to investigate the options and implications of a separate waste charge, claiming any decision to pursue such a charge would be done following public consultation.

The Council will be seeking official community feedback on the issue as part of its 2023-24 Budget process.

Previous attempts to introduce an increased bin charge have not gone down well for Yarra Council.

In 2017, a report from the Herald Sun found residents were facing an extra $247 annual charge to have rubbish collected.

The publication claimed householders and businesses in Yarra faced paying an extra $247.50 for collection of a standard 120-litre bin, $800 for a 240-litre bin, and $164 for an 80-litre bin.

However, the Council has claimed that a introducing a separate waste charge in the upcoming Budget will not see rates rise for residents.

“If Council decides to introduce a separate waste charge in the 2023/24 Budget, the total amount for the rates notice for 2023/24 will NOT change,” the Council said.

“If Council resolved to implement a separate waste charge, the approach would be to simply separate the waste charges from general rates, rather than adding a waste charge to the general rates.”

The waste charge isn’t the only part of the new draft Budget causing controversy, with Yarra Council receiving backlash for plans to increase the price of children’s swimming lessons.

An increase in swimming lesson fees has also caused controversy.

The draft budget revealed the cost of a swimming lesson in Yarra will increase from $31.10 to $44.90.

The move prompted outrage of 3AW radio host Tom Elliot, who ripped into the Council on air.

“How can you justify this? Swimming is not just a leisure activity, it’s a life skill, and this just might stop some parents giving their kids swimming lessons,” Tom Elliott said. “It is utterly ridiculous.”

“How can you justify this? Swimming is not just a leisure activity, it’s a life skill, and this just might stop some parents giving their kids swimming lessons,” he said.

“It is utterly ridiculous.”

Councillor Stephen Jolly told Elliot he would be voting against the price rise.

“The council is very happy to talk all the time about public health and encouraging people to be active, but this is cutting across those principles,” he said.

“I have been speaking to loads of people in the community who are really annoyed at this. So they are going to come along to the Council meeting to have their say.”

Originally published as Backlash to Melbourne Council’s plan for new waste removal charge