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NSW Waste and Environment Levy
Last modified: June 18, 2009 - 8:16 AM
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Mayor Michael Johnsen at Scone Waste Depot |
Upper Hunter Shire Council has been included in a Regional Regulated Area (RRA), which includes Outer Sydney and North East Coast Local Government Areas, and as of the 1st July 2009, will pay a Waste and Environment Levy of $10 per tonne on all waste, rising by $10 plus CPI per tonne per year for a further 6 years.
Council will have to pay the levy to the State Government, unless an exemption is approved, on all waste delivered to the Upper Hunter Shire Council's Waste depots.
Upper Hunter Shire Council has protested to the Minister, Carmel Tebbut regarding its inclusion with coastal councils, but is still waiting on a response to its request for exemption, despite repeated attempts to meet with the Minister.
The immediate implications of this scheme for Upper Hunter Shire Council will be an increase in Fees and Charges at the Waste Management Facilities for 2009-2010, and increases in the Waste Management Charges for kerbside collection of household waste from 2010-2011.
For Upper Hunter Shire Council the first year of the levy will cost local ratepayers $139,000, increasing each year to $972,000 in the seventh year, equating to an increase in general rates for residential properties of 25%, with no benefit for local ratepayers.
It is a tax on Local Government by the NSW State Government, but only from a small number of rural councils.
The revenue collected from local ratepayers by the levy will go to the State Government's City and Country Environment Restoration Program, which Council understands will provide funding for programs such as Marine Parks, the Environmental Trust Scheme and Water Buy Back Schemes, none of which provide benefit to the ratepayers of Upper Hunter Shire Council.
Mayor Michael Johnsen said that "if the funds raised from the Shire were to be spent in the Shire, Council could continue to develop its landfill and recycling programs, but this is a tax on Upper Hunter Shire residents to cover mismanagement of city base garbage".
For information on the NSW Waste and Environment Levy, please go to the Department of Environment & Climate Change web site or telephone Stephen Hartley at DECC on 9995 5740.
For information on waste disposal fees and charges for the 2009/10 financial year please phone Upper Hunter Shire Council Water and Waste Department on 6540 1115.
Contact details
Upper Hunter Shire Council
Tel: 02 6540 1100
Fax: 02 6545 2671
council@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au
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