Funding supports boots on ground in fight against illegal dumping

Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs The Honourable Meaghan Scanlon

Funding supports boots on the ground in the fight against illegal dumping

Twenty-seven local councils will share in more than $2.9 million in funding to support boots on the ground in the ongoing fight against illegal dumping.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the Queensland Government’s Local Government Illegal Dumping Partnerships Program provides vital funding to assist local councils to train and employ dedicated compliance officers to crack down on illegal dumping activities in their regions.

“This funding, from Round 2A of the program, will enable more than 30 illegal dumping compliance officers to continue their crucial work within the community, for up to 12 months,” Minister Scanlon said.

“We acknowledge the challenges councils face when it comes to managing the issue of illegal dumping and the Queensland Government is committed to ensuring councils have the necessary resources to tackle the problem head on.

“Illegal dumping costs Queensland communities millions in clean-up expenses every year, can be toxic to people and our native wildlife, and is a blight on our beautiful landscapes.

“Councils have reported that the cost of managing litter and illegal dumping was $28 million in the 2019-2020 financial year.

“By getting these boots on the ground, councils will be able to shift their focus away from simply cleaning up illegally dumped waste to identifying and pursuing offenders.

“Thanks to the previous round of the Partnerships Program, more than 17 million litres, or over 70,000 wheelie bins, of illegally dumped waste has been removed from the environment.

“Fines for illegally dumping waste range from $2,205 to $10,338, with the potential for much higher penalties for matters prosecuted in Court. Councils funded under the first round of Partnership Program grants issued more than 850 fines totalling $1.3 million.

“By working together, we are sending a strong message to offenders that illegal dumping will not be tolerated.”

Ms Scanlon said eligible local governments will soon be able to apply for funding under Round 2B of the Partnerships Program.

“A further $2 million will be available to eligible councils to employ frontline compliance officers and purchase equipment, or to improve the management and data reporting of illegal dumping,” Minister Scanlon said.

“Applications are set to open later this year.”

A full list of successful recipients is below:

  • Mareeba Shire Council – $83,669 to fund one illegal dumping compliance officer to carry out investigations, engage in community education and promote the reporting of illegal dumping
  • Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council – $90,000 to fund one illegal dumping compliance officer to undertake illegal dump site identification, perpetrator identification, surveillance, public education and liaising with surrounding councils
  • Western Downs Regional Council – $86,000 to fund one Environmental Health Technical Officer to focus on illegal dumping in the region
  • Burdekin Shire Council – $67,862 to fund one part-time illegal dumping officer to undertake compliance, education, investigations and compliance actions, and report preparation
  • North Burnett Regional Council – $120,000 to fund one illegal dumping officer to monitor, investigate and educate community members within the region.
  • Cairns Regional Council – $78,000 for one illegal dumping officer to respond to illegal dumping offences including complaint, investigation, surveillance, enforcement, education, and promotion of enforcement outcomes
  • Brisbane City Council – $180,000 to fund two authorised field officers to undertake education, surveillance, compliance and enforcement duties
  • Balonne Shire Council – $90,000 for one illegal dumping compliance officer to extend Council’s illegal dumping program into stock routes, public spaces and free camping spaces
  • Bundaberg Regional Council – $168,000 to fund two illegal dumping officers to develop and implement new initiatives to reduce and prevent illegal dumping, including awareness, behaviour change, education and enforcement
  • Lockyer Valley Regional Council – $109,722 to fund one illegal dumping compliance officer to investigate complaints, undertake compliance activities, liaise with other local governments and maintain Council’s registers and complaint database
  • Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council – $90,000 to fund one illegal dumping compliance officer to continue the program of illegal dumping clean-up of waste and scrap metal across the island
  • Carpentaria Shire Council – $50,000 to fund one illegal dumping officer to perform inspections, collect data and report incidents
  • Hinchinbrook Shire Council – $90,000 to fund one illegal dumping officer who will be responsible for delivering the Council’s illegal dumping program
  • South Burnett Regional Council – $84,085 to fund one part-time waste compliance officer to conduct locations where illegal dumping can occur.
  • Rockhampton Regional Council – $109,449 to employ a full-time officer to investigate illegal dumping reports, undertake site visits, interview suspected offenders and witnesses, and issue notices and infringements. This grant will also fund an additional part-time officer position.
  • Charters Towers Regional Council – $56,211 to fund a part-time illegal dumping officer to investigate complaints, pursue compliance and litigation matters, monitor hot sports and set up surveillance cameras, facilitate clean-ups and establish a communications and education program
  • Mackay Regional Council – $101,577 to fund one illegal dumping officer to investigate and record illegal dumping activities across the region
  • Douglas Shire Council – $103,852 to fund one illegal dumping officer to work on the Council’s Illegal Dumping Strategy by investigating and responding to illegal dumping occurrences, undertake enforcement and deliver education and promotional activities
  • Ipswich City Council – $186,650 to fund two compliance officers to detect and investigate illegal dumping in the region
  • Gladstone Regional Council – $113,340 to fund one illegal dumping officer to respond, investigate and action reports on illegal dumping in the region. This project will also increase community awareness of illegal dumping through the development of educational sessions for schools and community groups about the correct disposal of waste
  • Townsville City Council – $90,000 to employ a full-time compliance officer to investigate and respond to illegal dumping in the region
  • Logan City Council – $174,804 to fund two illegal dumping officers to be part of its Illegal Dumping Taskforce
  • Sunshine Coast Regional Council – $141,000 to fund one full-time and one part-time compliance officer to investigate and respond to illegal dumping incidents
  • Gold Coast City Council – $180,000 to fund two City Law Officers to investigate and respond to illegal dumping incidents. The officers will also undertake training to use specialist surveillance cameras to capture evidence in hot spots
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council – $90,000 to fund one Illegal Dumping Coordinator to devise targeted surveillance, develop a coordinated community plan targeting education and awareness, monitor trends in data, and prepare reports.
  • Moreton Bay Regional Council – $91,000 to fund one illegal dumping officer to support and supplement an existing illegal dumping officer to respond to complaints, investigation, and enforcement of illegal dumping offences
  • Cassowary Coast Regional Council – $110,396 for one full-time position that will be split across four current officer and supervisor positions to further support the team’s surveillance work

/Public Release. View in full here.