Council to blame

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is quite rightly annoyed at the amount of fly tipping on our rural roads around the city. It is surprising it has taken him so long to decide something needs to be done. Illegal dumping of rubbish is increasing, as anyone who lives in rural Auckland can testify. The council only has itself to blame. Rubbish disposal is a much more complex, and costly, process than it used to be.

For the many on low incomes the cost of rubbish bags can be a step too far. Gone are the days when rubbish collection was part of the rates. Further, inorganic collections have been scaled down and the number of refuse stations reduced. We all want to reduce our landfills, but if the consequence is a rubbished countryside, then a more sympathetic approach is required.

Any attempt to report fly tipping is not easy. When reported to the council no action seems to be taken. A report of a dumped lounge suite on the side of the road about six weeks ago has been ignored with the items still there, somewhat overgrown now.

Fly tipping certainly needs to be stopped somehow, but the council process of following up and attending to complaints needs to be attended to. We have managed to reduce graffiti by having a graffiti action plan. Let’s have a similar plan for getting rid of the rubbish around our countryside. Bruce B. Owen, RD Drury.