There has been some confusion over the proposed changes in Council’s draft budget for the waste services charge. To be clear, the public cleaning charge is not a new charge. Ratepayers have always contributed to these costs as part of the overall waste charge. What has changed this year is that the waste charge listed on your rates notice will be in two parts - waste collection and public cleaning.
It is important to note that the waste charge is set solely to recover the costs Council incurs. Council does not make a profit from waste charges.
We know many households are under real cost of living pressure but much of the increase in this year’s waste charges is being driven by factors outside Council’s control. These include State Government mandated changes to bin services and bin lids, as well as rising costs to process and dispose of waste.
We are focused on doing whatever we can to reduce waste, reduce contamination and contain future costs for our ratepayers. We are working to improve recycling outcomes, support practical waste reduction initiatives such as soft plastics recycling, and expand food and green waste services so more material is diverted from landfill. Any savings made by these measures will be passed onto our ratepayers in future years.
Last Updated: 16 April 2026