Local council rates are set to increase further in response to the Marshall Liberal Government’s Decision to increase the bin tax by a whopping 40% in one year.
In the State Budget, delivered last week, the Marshall Liberal Government has increased the solid waste levy from $100 to $140 per tonne in metropolitan areas.
Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo, said the increase has been implemented without any consultation with local government.
“Councils will now have no choice but to pass on the increase to ratepayers,” Mr Piccolo said.
“Had the Government consulted, councils might have drafted different budgets for this coming year. But the increase has blindsided councils who will now have little room to move.
“When South Australians get their council rate notices in the coming weeks, they need to know just how much the Marshall Liberal Government has added to their household bills.“Tree Gully Council has already voted to pass on the Marshall Liberal Government’s bin tax in next year’s rates.”
The Decision by the Tea Tree Gully Council will mean their 2019-20 rates increase will go from 2.7% to 2.9%, for the bills that are set to hit letter boxes in the coming weeks.Other councils are set to follow Tea Tree Gully’s lead.
Liberal Treasurer, Rob Lucas, will raise nearly $90 million over the 4-year Budget forward estimates period from the solid waste levy, that has become known as Marshall’s bin tax.
Mr Piccolo said South Australians have already been hit by big increases in fees ranging from registration charges and licenses to hospital car parking fees. Now the bin tax will hit households hard.
“The bin tax could, in some cases, add an additional 0.5 – 1.0% increase to next year’s rates bills,” Mr Piccolo said.
“It is just outrageous that the State Government has launched this stealth attack on ratepayers by jacking up its solid waste levy by 40%, only one week after hypocritically levelling misleading and unwarranted criticisms at councils despite some of the lowest rate rises in recent years.
“This bin tax makes a mockery of the State Government’s propaganda about capping rates.
“In one fell swoop, the Liberals are going to increase everybody’s rates further than they need to.
“The best that councils can hope for is to claim a share of the meagre $2.5 million a year on offer to local government and industry to support waste management improvements.“This increase in the levy has nothing to do with reducing waste. It is just a ruthless grab for taxes to fix up the budget mess the Liberals have created.”
The bin tax is just one of the many hikes to fees, charges and taxes included in the Budget, which will raise in excess of $353 million from South Australian households.