Mornington Peninsula council passes ‘abhorrent’ new waste charges
Putting out the rubbish will cost Mornington Peninsula ratepayers 22 per cent more after the local council slapped a string of new charges onto its bin tax.
South East
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A Melbourne council has been accused of using its controversial bin tax to “demolish” the rate cap after adding six new charges to the levy.
Mornington Peninsula Shire on Tuesday voted to increase its waste services charge by 21.85 per cent to $446.
Ratepayers will be slugged an extra $35 for their weekly garbage and fortnightly recycling collections.
They will now pay $45 for tip vouchers for renters, extra ‘no charge’ green waste days, and more patrols by the council’s clean team.
The increase also covers the cost of chasing illegal dumpers, a second chemical collection day and one more ‘free’ tip voucher for ratepayers.
Those using an opt in green waste collection will have a further $150 added to their bin tax taking the total to $596.
A Herald Sun poll revealed that 92 per cent of people did not support the extra charges.
More than 100 respondents said the cost of the services should be covered by rates.
However, councillors noted at Tuesday’s meeting that the shire had the fifth lowest rates in Victoria and other ways had to be found to cover rising costs.
Council Watch vice president Dean Hurlston said the “abhorrent” increase set a dangerous precedent that would encourage other municipalities to follow suit.
“What the council is doing is taking anything even remotely related to waste out of their operating expenses and putting it under a waste services levy,” Mr Hurlston said.
“The levy isn’t subject to the rate cap and can be increased well beyond the 3.5 per cent set for the 2024 financial year.
“They’re demolishing the rate cap.”
Mr Hurlston said Mornington Peninsula’s waste services charge increase was significantly higher than what other councils planned.
“About 15 councils have set their waste services charge so far and have increases of up to six per cent.”
He feared the model used by Mornington Peninsula Shire would be used to remove other core services from the rate cap.
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors voted separately on each of the new charges but did not debate them individually.
Cr Antonella Celi said the council should simply “straight out adopt the package”.
However, Cr Susan Bissinger was worried the council had not done enough “belt tightening” to keep rates and charges down.
“Are we putting too much pressure on our ratepayers with the new waste charges?”
“That is really concerning to me.”
The council also approved tip fee increases including a 6 per cent rise for green waste – up from $41.40 a cubic metre to $44.
From July 1 it will cost a resident $103 ($5 more) to take a cubic metre of garbage to the tip.
