Councils concerned by waste funding
Published on 01 May 2025
The peak body for Queensland councils has welcomed today’s announcement of $130 million to help councils reduce landfill – but says some councils will be dismayed to hear they may be caught short on waste levy payments.
Today the State Government has announced it will not provide a 100 per cent advance waste levy payment to councils for the 2025-26 year.
Councils will now need to consider whether to reduce services to ratepayers – or to pass on the waste levy funding gap to residents via increased rates.
Waste costs are a significant issue for councils and ratepayers, highlighted by 14 resolutions relating to the waste levy being passed at LGAQ Annual Conferences since 2019.
“Queensland’s waste levy arrangements came into effect in 2019 and councils were promised their communities and households would not have to pay more as a result,” Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive officer Alison Smith said.
“Unfortunately today’s decision creates a new challenge.
“Councils want to partner with both State and Federal governments to create a long term, sustainable and circular economy in which Queenslanders can reduce what goes into their household bins because they’re given other options – better recycling options, specific services to get rid of food and garden organic waste, and easier ways to reduce landfill.
“But this takes time and money to achieve.
“The $130 million is a welcome start to help set up councils, but is less than half of the funding that Queensland’s Regional Organisations of Councils are projecting is required to deliver regional waste management plans over the next four years.”
Meanwhile, the LGAQ has thanked the government for releasing a discussion paper to review the Queensland Waste Management Strategy.
LGAQ President Mayor Matt Burnett said councils across Queensland have prepared detailed regional waste management plans which show the current landfill reduction targets are unworkable.
“We look forward to this eight-week consultation process helping to identify where new solutions are needed, together with appropriate future funding, to enable communities to better access recycling and waste management options,” Mayor Burnett said.
“The LGAQ will work closely with councils to capture critical concerns and ensure the best opportunities are put forward, to give our state its best chance to be set up for a successful circular economy.”