Related:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Long-time waste management champion councillor Peter Cox has slammed the organic waste collection service endorsed by council this week as “weak” and “lacking vision” – despite some of his colleagues labelling it one of the “biggest and boldest” initiatives undertaken in Bendigo.
In an eight-minute tirade at the Greater Bendigo City Council meeting on Wednesday night, Cr Cox accused the city of “going soft” at the last minute on the green bin service and “backtracking” from the original proposal.
“I've said for the last 20 years [unless action is taken] the cost of disposing of waste is just going to continue to skyrocket,” Cr Cox said.
“[So] it's with some disappointment that I've got to stand up and speak against this motion... [but] the motion that we have before us is very weak.
“[This process has] gone on for five years and I’ve stuck with it, but there’s a certain point you can go to where you just can’t put up with the lack of vision.”
Cr Cox launched the green waste collection trial while serving as mayor last August.
At that point, the proposal was for fortnightly residual waste and fortnightly organic waste pick-ups on alternating weeks. But the recommendation put to council on Wednesday proposed retaining weekly residual waste pick-ups.
“How weak can you get?,” Cr Cox said.
“Up until a fortnight ago, or less than a fortnight ago, this council was talking about… having a fortnightly pick-ups of all services – recycling, organic and residual waste – and now we've backtracked… because some people are complaining that there are smells in their bins.
“Well they need to take responsibility.”
Despite calling on his colleagues to take a stand and allow him to forward an alternative motion, the proposal was passed with other councillors describing it as a good first step.
Veteran councillor Barry Lyons went further.
“This is probably, in my time in council, the biggest and boldest change in waste collection in our city,” Cr Lyons said.
Councillor Lisa Ruffell also said she was “proud of the report”.
“In a perfect world, I would love the waste-to-energy program over in Holland and Germany – but that's going to cost us $60 million,”
- Cr Lisa Ruffell
“It will create 2000 to 3000 employment and... we’d be the first in Australia to do... but this report is a starting point.”