Queensland waste tax goes ahead despite election pledge

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad insists Queenslanders would expect a new waste levy to be fast-tracked.

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad. Picture: AAP

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad has defended breaking a promise not to introduce extra taxes in her first budget, insisting Queenslanders would expect a new waste levy to be fast-tracked.

Deputy Premier Ms Trad yesterday confirmed the state’s June budget would now include the previously announced waste levy, with the as-yet-uncalculated proceeds to go towards driving a ­recycling and waste-to-energy ­industry in Queensland.

But in February, Ms Trad said she had “no plans” to introduce any new taxes beyond the four ­announced by Labor in the days before last November’s election.

“Quite frankly, I do think Queenslanders expect the state government, local councils (and) industry to work together to ­reduce the amount of recyclable material going into the general tip,” Ms Trad said yesterday.

“Quite frankly we can do ­better than that in 2018 and we should be doing better than that.”

The waste levy was due to be introduced on July 1, 2019.

The government announced yesterday it would be brought forward to an unspecified date, prompted by Ipswich City Council’s decision — revealed this week — to dump recyclables into landfill after China’s ban on certain foreign waste items.

Liberal National Party Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the government’s decision was a “blatant money grab”.

“The Palaszczuk government’s kneejerk decision to rush through a waste tax, with no details and no consultation, shows Labor is making it up as they go along,” Ms Frecklington said. “Let’s be frank, the only place that has a waste problem, whether it is dumping ­recycling in landfill or interstate waste dumping, is Ipswich.

The LNP scrapped Queensland’s waste levy in 2012, leaving it as the only mainland state without such a tax.

Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam said the predicament was not isolated to Ipswich, west of Brisbane, and every council across Australia was vulnerable.

“This is not particular to Ipswich, this is an issue for councils across Australia,” Mr Hallam said.

The proceeds of the waste levy — which are unknown, but estimated to be about $200 million a year if applied to industrial and construction waste — would go towards trying to start a waste-to-energy industry in Queensland, and to encouraging other recycling plants.

Mr Hallam said the US had 140 waste-to-energy plants, which cost about $US400m ($512m) and took two years to build, once ­approvals were received.

“We think the state government should be giving some consideration to short-term financial assistance to councils to help bridge the gap (until the plants can be up and running),” Mr Hallam said.

Ms Trad conceded the fast-tracking of the waste levy would not be likely to result in Ipswich reversing its plan to dump recycled rubbish in landfill.

She said the June budget would include details of when the levy would be introduced, how much it would be, and what it would be expected to generate over the forward estimates.