Cairns Unity Team, Community First mull commitment to green waste bins and water tanks

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Cairns mayoral candidates have added home eco initiatives to the list of policies they are considering prior to March election.

Green waste bin and rainwater tank proposals have received little love at Cairns Regional Council in the past, but now a change is in the air.

Unity Team leader Terry James said dedicated green waste bins for households could be a possible policy in the next council term.

Cairns Garden Club members Liz Adams, Fran Lindsay and Carolyn Enslie all say that a third green wheelie bin dedicated to garden waste would be a great environmental initiative by council. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We are looking at that extra strategy at the moment,” Mr James said

Community First leader Denis Walls also confirmed his interest.

“It’s a great idea … we need to move in the same direction other cities are going with regard to that,” Mr Walls said.

Fran Lindsay, from Cairns Gardening Club, said she agreed with the idea.

“A bin dedicated to my green waste would be very good,” Ms Lindsay said.

If council introduced a policy that embraced water tank installation, it would reverse years of resistance.

Mr Walls said he would propose subsidised rainwater tanks for Cairns’ residents if elected.

To support his proposal, he cited research by a hydrologist that concluded household rainwater tanks could keep Copperlode Dam’s water levels significantly higher during periods of low rainfall, reducing stress on supply.

“This has got to be part of dealing with our water problems in the future,” Mr Walls said.

Mr James also said rainwater tanks were “a good idea”.

“I think that really needs to be looked at,” he said.

He also said the next council may consider a tiered water consumption rate that could incentivise property owners to conserve water.

“All those avenues can be looked at,” he said.

Community First has commissioned a hydrology study that looks at subsidising rainwater tanks for Cairns residents, to complement the town water supply and take pressure off the need for additional water infrastructure. Community First Division 7 candidate Renee Lees and mayoral candidate Denis Walls want to see a proliferation of water tanks installed onto established inner city homes. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr James said the Unity Team was committed to other eco policies.

“We really want to make sure Cairns maintains its environmental record and looks after its natural assets,” he said.

“We’ll be continuing our commitment to net-zero council operations by 2030.

“We’re supporting the 2040 waste strategy plan … to reduce waste that is going to landfill in the region. Over the past two years, 138 trucks that go up the range were reduced.

“We’re going to increase the native seedling germination by 30 per cent over the next four years. That’s currently at 45,000 seedlings per year now … we’re going to increase our green cover. Cairns is already the greenest regional city in Australia, and we will increase on that again.

“We’re going to reduce water demand with the continued rollout of smart meters … that will enable people to detect leaks early.

“We will increase the green canopy and tree cover for future developments and housing projects to reduce urban heat.”

Originally published as Cairns Unity Team, Community First mull commitment to green waste bins and water tanks