The Hunter JO continues to work closely with its member councils and Central Coast Council on regional waste and resource recovery initiatives, recently putting in a joint submission to the IPART Review of Council Domestic Waste Management Charges (DWMC). The IPART review is focusing on domestic waste management charges levied by councils, exploring best practice in how these services are delivered.
The Hunter JO engaged with councils across the region to respond to the review, and to highlight the incredible complexity of the challenges faced by councils and communities in the area of waste management services. We are at a crucial point in time for the waste industry as our region transitions from a linear to a circular economy, with the need for a robust market to deliver innovation, disruption and new industries into the future.
Key comments raised in the submission included;
- A focus on lowest price which could lead to a narrowing of the waste management services market and diminish quality and innovation at a time when there are many pressures on providing local and on shore recycling and waste services
- support for development of a set of pricing principles as guidance for Councils. The drivers of pricing are complex and vary for each Council area depending on factors like geography, population size and density, existing infrastructure and services and demographics – there is not a one size fits all approach to pricing.
- Support for the opportunity to continue discussions with IPART and our member Councils towards continual improvement of DWMC transparency and consistency as well as alignment with the NSW 20-year waste strategy project
- The collaborative development of Waste Management Guidelines that list and describe standardised core waste management and resource recovery services.
Read more about the Hunter JO’s Waste Management Program HERE.
To find out more about this submission and the Hunter JO’s Waste Program, please contact:
Tim Askew, Regional Policy and Program Manager, tima@hunterjo.com.au P 4978 4034