New law: Councils to fine residents $2,500 for leaving wheelie bins out
Even if you’re someone who normally doesn’t have a problem dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s, odds are you’ve accidentally left the wheelie bin out at least once. This common error is about to become a costly one, with several councils confirming a law change which will see residents leaving their wheelie bins out fined $2,500.
News.com.au reports twenty councils in Queensland are set to introduce the policy, which will come into full effect by July 1, when state legislation expires.
So if your better half has a habit of forgetting to do one of the week’s most annoying tasks on time, it might be a good idea to start counting your pennies.
What is going to change?
From July 1, councils implementing the law change will be allowed to fine residents $2,523 for not collecting their wheelie bins within 24 hours of being emptied.
Previous incarnations of the law allowed councils to fine residents the same amount, but it was rarely enforced due to the vague definition of the period of time as “otherwise reasonably appropriate before and after collection”.
Are the councils going to go through with it?
Locals in Townsville, Rockhampton, Burdekin, Bundaberg, Gladstone and the Gold Coast are understandably annoyed about the potential fine they could face.
But some councils have said they have no intention to apply the fines.
Mackay Regional Mayor Greg Williamson told The Daily Mercury, “Local officers are out there trying and making sure (Mackay) has an urban environment that looks good.
“In the case where someone complains that there is a land owner or occupier of a dwelling not doing the right thing by the environment, and people that live in that area, we need this local law or otherwise it is a free-for-all,” he said.
Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey also claimed he wouldn’t actively be enforcing the fine.
“Bundaberg has no intention of any changes in relation to our current policy,” Mr Dempsey said.
Is it just a cash grab?
The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has responded to suggestions that this is just a cynical cash grab, saying the fine has always been part of legislation.
“We’ve been trying to convince the State Government to get rid of the expiry date from the regulation however we haven’t been able to convince them,” LGAQ spokesman Craig Johnstone told the Herald Sun.
“What that means is about 20 councils have gone ahead and made their own local law which reflects the intent of that legislation that’s about to expire.”
What are your thoughts? Do you think the fines are execessive?