COUNCIL WATCH Local govt conference misses chance to tackle plastic pollution at the source
GLARINGLY absent from any motion put forward on environmental policy by participating councils at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) conference in Albury this week was any focus on producers of plastic packaging and bottles, such as Visy or Coca-cola (which increased its production of bottles by a billion in 2016, according to Greenpeace).
Also of note, Dubbo Regional Council did not contribute any motions to the environmental policy under review at the LGNSW conference.
Local Government NSW did however launch a campaign at the conference which calls on the NSW State Government to re-invest the entire $727 million it collects from the waste levy each year back into waste management and recycling.
The “Save our Recycling” campaign launch coincided with Malaysia’s ban on the import of Australia’s plastic waste, which follows on from China’s problematic ban in 2017.
The campaign is drawing attention to solving the worsening recycling and waste crisis in NSW, and specifically states it should be at no extra cost to taxpayers.
It is not specified if taxpayers might be more concerned about tax or the plastic waste in waterways which, once broken down by the elements, is entering the food chain. A recent report by National Geographic found that 90 per cent of table salt contains plastic molecules. THE Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual Conference has adopted a proposal raised by Dubbo Regional Council to address complaints with the ward system which created confusion for voters in the last local government elections.
The adopted resolution states that LGNSW lobby the state government to work with forcibly merged rural and regional councils to develop a model that would allow newly merged councils with ward systems to move away from those forced wards. Instead they would return to their previous election system of a single council area.
The resolution also wants to ensure there is proper representation on merged councils for those residents living in the area previously covered by the smaller of the merged council partners, in our case that being Wellington.
Dubbo Regional Mayor Cr Ben Shields said the current electoral system and the distribution of wards is a flawed system.
“I would like to thank fellow Councillors for presenting a united view on this matter and supporting our push for electoral reform while ensuring democratic representation for smaller population centres in a merged Council,” Cr Shields said. DUBBO REGIONAL COUNCIL is marking National Water Week 2018 until Saturday, October 27, with a display at the customer services areas in Wellington and Dubbo demonstrating
The LGNSW call is for the development of regional and region-specific solutions for sustainable waste management covering matters such as soft plastic recycling facilities and green waste, supporting innovative solutions to reduce waste, waste transport requirements, identify new waste management locations, local community waste recovery and repair facilities, and funding for a wider range of sustainability initiatives products and tips to assist residents with methods to save water.
This year’s National Water Week theme is “Water for me, water for all”.
Council has sponsored water sustainability education programs for Dubbo schools and launched a colouring-in competition to help encourage children to learn more about the importance of water in everyday life. Certificates and prizes will be awarded to the winning students and runners up. THE NSW Government has partnered with Dubbo Regional Council through its tourism and major events agency to deliver a $250,000 marketing campaign focused on bringing families to the region during the upcoming school holidays.
“The Great Big Adventures” campaign, which targets visitors living within a five-hour drive of Dubbo, launched on Monday, October 22.
“Dubbo has been on the worldstage following the visit by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
At the Return & Earn machine:
A LGNSW campaign launched this week calls for the NSW State Government to fund initiatives with 100 per cent of proceeds from its waste levy, to the tune of $727 million. such as marketing and strategies to promote and support a circular economy.
The NSW Government has set targets to increase the diversion of waste from landfill to 75 per cent by 2021, and to reduce the volume of litter in NSW by 40 per cent by 2020.
Schemes like Return and Earn, Hey Tosser, and council and community litter prevention grants are strategies to achieve this. No mention however is made on ways to reduce the volume of litter at its source.
“Councils in NSW are already seeking support to develop markets for recycled glass, paper and plastics; working proactively to improve the quality of what’s in the recycling bin, and reducing recycling contamination levels,” LGNSW president Linda Scott said Regional Enviroscience diJuliet Duffy Dubbo Regional Council Michael Mcmahon at the conference Albury.
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of Sussex therefore this campaign comes at a perfect time to continue marketing our great region,” Member for Dubbo Troy Grant said. REGIONAL ENVIROSCIENCE director Juliet Duffy who notably was awarded the NSW Woman of the Year and whose Dubbo based business was placed in the AFR Fast 100 2017, is securing contracts across multiple local government areas.
She is seen here with Dubbo Regional Council CEO Michael Mcmahon at the Local Government NSW conference in Albury this week where he congratulated her on the success of securing local government contracts.
Enviroscience clients include essential Central Darling Shire Council, Bland Shire Council and the City of Wagga Wagga.
Enviroscience tests, identifies and manages Hazmat and construction hazards, and provides asbestos awareness training and environmental consulting. at the LGNSW conference this week.
“We need more new and innovative recycling facilities, and packaging and products that are easier to recycle and reuse.”
Councillor Scott said there was no need for these moves towards a circular economy to impose new costs on residents, ratepayers or business.
“Local government is not asking for more money, just for the money already raised as the Waste Levy to be used where communities expect: on better recycling and waste management.
“Residents across NSW are doing their bit by recycling household products, and we need to ensure these efforts don’t go – literally – to waste,” she said.
“That’s what this campaign is all about: calling on all candidates in the upcoming state election to commit to the full reinvestment of the waste levy in order to Save Our Recycling.”
Candidates, residents, business and anyone who supports the campaign can sign up at www.saveourrecycling.com.au