Why locals may have to pay more for rubbish collection
The future of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council's Red Hill waste management facility has been thrown into doubt as its member councils leave or contemplate leaving.
Red Hill accepts a wide range of waste from the general public, commercial operators and local, regional, State and Federal government organisations.
But a former EMRC chairman has warned a spate of councils deciding to 'take the money and run' could lead to Red Hill being sold to a private operator and prices for waste disposal increasing.
The City of Belmont was a founding member of the EMRC but withdrew in 2021, leaving the cities of Swan, Kalamunda and Bayswater, the Shire of Mundaring and Town of Bassendean as the remaining members.
The City of Kalamunda withdrew its membership in 2023 and the Shire of Mundaring announced in April it would withdraw its membership effective from July 1.
The Town of Bassendean and City of Bayswater each held meetings behind closed doors during July about the EMRC, with their resolutions kept confidential.
Although Bassendean's meeting on June 10 was behind closed doors, former town councillor and past EMRC chairman Jai Wilson used public statement time to speak against the town leaving the EMRC, warning it could lead to the sale of Red Hill. Jai Wilson (centre) with past Bassendean mayor Renee McLennan and past Bayswater mayor Dan Bull. Credit: EMRC
Mr Wilson said he was elected to the council in 2017 on a ticket of the town remaining an active member of the EMRC.
Its member councils then raised $100 million to develop a large-scale FOGO plant.
'What happened when that $100 million got saved is that some greedy local governments — Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan — formed a view that they would like to do a smash and grab on that $100m and divert it away from the purpose for which it was raised, to take it as money they could spend on vanity projects,' Mr Wilson said.
'They formed a view they would leave the EMRC, take that money that had been saved for that project and send their ratepayers' waste to a privately owned incinerator. A ridiculous and disappointing outcome but that's how democracy works.
'We now find ourselves in a situation where more councils are looking to leave and take the money and run.
'That means this goes one of two ways: we either keep Red Hill and the facilities we built up through shared investment in public hands, or we allow it to get sold for cents in the dollar in a fire sale to some foreign multinational corporation that will do certainly two things — jack up prices to recoup money they invest in buying the plant at all of our expense and two, cut corners which will risk the health and safety of the workers that are there and the environment.'
The EMRC released a prospectus in May encouraging investment from waste recovery and waste-to-energy related operators.
Mr Wilson said the State Government had 'sat on its hands' and needed to keep Red Hill in public ownership.
'It is open to the State Government to support whichever councils ultimately decide to stay in the EMRC, to pay out the greedy councils who want to take the money and run, and to have a borrowing facility to allow the remaining councils to continue to operate the plant,' he said.
'Make sure that the greed of those councils who have misappropriated these funds is not rewarded in any way.'
Mr Wilson also asked why the discussion would be behind closed doors.
Acting CEO Paul White said it was partly because it involved a contract the council had entered into or could enter into.
'Secondly, the urgency and haste with which circumstances have developed require the ability for the council to be fully briefed and have an open, frank discussion which in this case is best held behind closed doors,' he said.
'There will be information that is publicly made available in due course.'
Kalamunda mayor Margaret Thomas said the city withdrew its membership after a decision at its November 2022 meeting. That decision was also made behind closed doors.
Belmont CEO John Christie said the city withdrew its membership because 'after careful consideration, (it) didn't see enough value for our community to continue'.
The City of Swan was contacted for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Why locals may have to pay more for rubbish collection
Eastern suburbs residents have been warned they could have to pay more to have their rubbish collected if a publicly-funded waste facility is sold to a private operator. The future of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council's Red Hill waste management facility has been thrown into doubt as its member councils leave or contemplate leaving. Red Hill accepts a wide range of waste from the general public, commercial operators and local, regional, State and Federal government organisations. But a former EMRC chairman has warned a spate of councils deciding to 'take the money and run' could lead to Red Hill being sold to a private operator and prices for waste disposal increasing. The City of Belmont was a founding member of the EMRC but withdrew in 2021, leaving the cities of Swan, Kalamunda and Bayswater, the Shire of Mundaring and Town of Bassendean as the remaining members. The City of Kalamunda withdrew its membership in 2023 and the Shire of Mundaring announced in April it would withdraw its membership effective from July 1. The Town of Bassendean and City of Bayswater each held meetings behind closed doors during July about the EMRC, with their resolutions kept confidential. Although Bassendean's meeting on June 10 was behind closed doors, former town councillor and past EMRC chairman Jai Wilson used public statement time to speak against the town leaving the EMRC, warning it could lead to the sale of Red Hill. Jai Wilson (centre) with past Bassendean mayor Renee McLennan and past Bayswater mayor Dan Bull. Credit: EMRC Mr Wilson said he was elected to the council in 2017 on a ticket of the town remaining an active member of the EMRC. Its member councils then raised $100 million to develop a large-scale FOGO plant. 'What happened when that $100 million got saved is that some greedy local governments — Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan — formed a view that they would like to do a smash and grab on that $100m and divert it away from the purpose for which it was raised, to take it as money they could spend on vanity projects,' Mr Wilson said. 'They formed a view they would leave the EMRC, take that money that had been saved for that project and send their ratepayers' waste to a privately owned incinerator. A ridiculous and disappointing outcome but that's how democracy works. 'We now find ourselves in a situation where more councils are looking to leave and take the money and run. 'That means this goes one of two ways: we either keep Red Hill and the facilities we built up through shared investment in public hands, or we allow it to get sold for cents in the dollar in a fire sale to some foreign multinational corporation that will do certainly two things — jack up prices to recoup money they invest in buying the plant at all of our expense and two, cut corners which will risk the health and safety of the workers that are there and the environment.' The EMRC released a prospectus in May encouraging investment from waste recovery and waste-to-energy related operators. Mr Wilson said the State Government had 'sat on its hands' and needed to keep Red Hill in public ownership. 'It is open to the State Government to support whichever councils ultimately decide to stay in the EMRC, to pay out the greedy councils who want to take the money and run, and to have a borrowing facility to allow the remaining councils to continue to operate the plant,' he said. 'Make sure that the greed of those councils who have misappropriated these funds is not rewarded in any way.' Mr Wilson also asked why the discussion would be behind closed doors. Acting CEO Paul White said it was partly because it involved a contract the council had entered into or could enter into. 'Secondly, the urgency and haste with which circumstances have developed require the ability for the council to be fully briefed and have an open, frank discussion which in this case is best held behind closed doors,' he said. 'There will be information that is publicly made available in due course.' Kalamunda mayor Margaret Thomas said the city withdrew its membership after a decision at its November 2022 meeting. That decision was also made behind closed doors. Belmont CEO John Christie said the city withdrew its membership because 'after careful consideration, (it) didn't see enough value for our community to continue'. The City of Swan was contacted for comment.
West Australian
13 hours ago
- West Australian
Basil Zempilas 10 Things: Budget estimates show that some ministers are making guesstimates
1. It's called estimates, but after having sat through it front and centre this week, I reckon for some ministers it's more like guesstimates. Budget estimates is the brief political window which opens for three days every year in State Parliament following the Budget. Members of the Opposition have the opportunity to quiz ministers and senior public servants on the government's spending. With just a day to run, it's very clear which ministers know their stuff, and which ones have skimmed the briefing notes in the car on the way to work. 2. The other great curiosity of Estimates is which minister is responsible for answering which questions. Sometimes they don't even know. Like on Tuesday when I tried to ask about Roger's rugby team and was told by Tourism Minister Reece Whitby I'd need to ask Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti, who later in the day told me I'd need to ask the Tourism Minister. Yes minister. 3. The Deputy Premier was more forthcoming on questions about the racetrack at Burswood Park. I suppose when everyone calls it Rita's racetrack, it's hard not to own it. We learned the $217.5 million dollars the State Government has told everyone the racetrack will cost is only an estimate based on a draft assessment, not the final cost. The other revelation: no land needs to be acquired from neighbouring Crown Resorts to complete the racetrack. 4. That last point is particularly interesting, because it's not what community members were told at recent Optus Stadium consultation sessions. 5. Estimates also helped us better understand that the solar batteries households are signing up for under the $5000 State-Federal rebate scheme will actually be used to keep the lights on — for everyone. Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson confirmed the power you store in your solar battery will be accessible by the Government to put back into the grid 30 times per year to help make up any peak demand shortfalls. 6. Here's something else I learned: to make the expansion of the ferry service possible east of the Causeway, the bridge may need to have some of its under carriage scraped away so the boats can fit underneath. 7. Remember the debt monster of 2017? It feels like he's warming up for a grand return. 8. My guess is most parents think two weeks of school holidays in the middle of the year is more than enough. 9. It's a footy moment most West Australians will never forget. Dom Sheed's match winner in the 2018 grand final was as good as it gets. Congrats Dom, enjoy the next chapter. 10. Huge congratulations to my old teammate Paul Sanzone on steering West Perth to a win in his first game as senior coach. The circumstances of him taking over may not have been ideal, but what a way to get the club back on track.
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
Leading fund manager accuses Albanese govt of ‘gaslighting' Aussie taxpayers over its contested unrealised gains tax proposal
A leading fund manager has accused the Albanese government of 'gaslighting' the Australian people by claiming only 80,000 people would be affected by its unrealised capital gains tax proposal. The Albanese government's proposal to double the tax rate to 30 per cent on funds in super accounts above $3 million has sparked fears for small business owners, farmers who hold properties in their self-managed super funds, and startup investors, who use SMSF's as an investment vehicle. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has claimed the tax would initially only hit 80,000 Australians, which even Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino conceded was not true, estimating about 1.2 million, or 10 per cent of taxpayers, will pay the tax within 30 years. However, Wilson Asset Management founder Geoff Wilson said he believes in 30 years' time more than half the workforce would be paying this tax on unrealised gains, predicting about 8.1 million Australians will be paying tax on 'imaginary gains' by 2055. 'Albanese and Chalmers are gaslighting the Australian people by saying it's only 80,000 people,' he told Mr Wilson said having to pay tax on profits you may never make seemed 'immoral'. 'Chalmers is so desperate to get it through and won't see logical sense - either he has a death wish and doesn't want to stay as treasurer or he wants to use division 296 tax for housing and other investment shares,' Mr Wilson said. He said the Albanese government had 'made all these promises and someone's gotta fund it', adding the tax was 'illogical' and 'badly thought out'. It came after Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus told Channel 9 the tax on unrealised capital gains on super balances above $3 million had 'got to be indexed' to ensure more people 'don't end up' falling into the bracket. 'But that's a very long time in the future,' she said. Newly appointed Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson said the policy was 'wrong in principle' and the Coalition would 'fight this every step." 'Unless the government was willing to walk away from the two key principles in this bill, which is taxing unrealised gains and failing to index the threshold, then there's no conceivable world in which we could support it,' Mr Paterson told Sky News on Tuesday.
