Mount Isa ratepayers will be hit with more fees following the implementation of the Queensland Government's Waste Levy Bill.
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Despite lobbying against the state Waste Levy Bill, Mount Isa City Council passed the Levy in an ordinary council meeting on Wednesday April 10.
The Waste Levy Bill was enforced on 38 Queensland councils in August 2018, and will cost Mount Isa City Council a nett value of $2.1 million a year.
Mount Isa mayor Joyce McCulloch said council was against implementing the levy due to the remoteness of Mount Isa and the volume of waste generated.
"Continuing to operate under legislative requirements associated with the Levy, will be a significant financial impost on Council," Cr McCulloch said.
"The government rebate does not cover costs associated with building essential infrastructure, setting up the Resource Recovery Areas, recycling activities, buying new or modifying existing heavy machinery, or even the extra staff we will need.
"These are all costs that go along with establishing the Levy and operating it in our community, and Council will have to shoulder that burden."
Cr McCulloch said Mount Isa ratepayers, businesses and industry would all be in a world of hurt when the Levy takes effect from July 1, 2019.
"Despite all the lobbying that council has done we still have to implement this bill and the state government has been smart because we are not allowed to show this levy as a separate item on the rates notice," she said.
"So we are going to be rating our consumers and they are going to be blaming council but it is nothing to do with us."
Both the mayor and councillors are considering having more waste amnesty days like the one held in March to help locals lower costs.
In conjunction with the additional fees in Mount Isa, Council will also close the Camooweal Refuse Facility due to the Waste Levy implications and costs.
Cr McCulloch said that council were already discussing options to still assist the community of Camooweal.
"The close of this facility will have minimal impact on the community, if anything we are going to up the level of service to do it better," she said.
"We are looking into implementing large industrial skip bins, with the rubbish being transported to the Mount Isa facility.
"Details are still being finalised and a closure date is yet to be announced."
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Samantha Campbell
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
