When the possibility of a rural waste levy in the new financial year came to Council’s April meeting, Cr Jenny Webb argued that introducing a levy for reduced services was a bit rough.

The tips at Wirrinya and Warroo were closed and operating hours at Garema and Bedgerabong reduced last year after a review of rural landfills in 2016.

The review was prompted by legislation, but councillors were also told at the time that Wirrinya and Bedgerabong tips had less than 10 years’ capacity remaining. 

Dumping of large volumes of commercial, agricultural, construction and demolition wastes at rural sites was compounding the problems. 

Bedgerabong and Garema residents now have two three-hour windows a week in which to take their rubbish to the tip. 

At the April meeting, Councillor Webb asked for the opening hours to be reviewed and suggested that rural residents needed something additional such as better recycling services.

“When we did have consultation with rural landholders, what they wanted and what they were given were totally different things,” she said.

“You’ve just closed 50 per cent of the tips, given us these really limited opening hours which the community aren’t happy about.”

Councillor Phyllis Miller said town residents subsidised rural residents when it came to waste disposal.

“In town … you get bins provided, you get pickup provided - yes you say you subsidise the rural (landfill) - but I think we need a better outcome before we start putting levies on,” Cr Webb said.

Under the draft budget, town residents will be billed $490 per year (a $28 or 6.1 per cent increase) for their red, yellow and green bins. 

An additional red bin, collected fortnightly, costs $290. A second yellow bin, collected fortnightly, will be $85 (up $19 or 28.8 per cent) or an extra weekly green bin will be $115 (up $3 or 2.7 per cent).

Cr Jeff Nicholson said the changes at rural landfill in the past two years were a “fantastic improvement”.

“They’ve all been fenced, there are security cameras out there so it stopped all this illegal dumping to our rural tips and also it stops a lot of the paper rubbish blowing everywhere around the countryside,” he said.

Mat Teale, attending the meeting in the place of Director of Environmental Services, said Council spent $3000 to $4000 a month managing rural landfills – an estimated $100 to $150 per tonne of waste. 

Rural residents who live within 12km of Daroobalgie landfill pay a flat waste disposal levy of $145 (up $3).

Council’s draft budget, and draft fees and charges, are currently on display for public comment at Council offices.

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Date set for rural tip cutbacks