Polwarth electorate
Mr RIORDAN (Polwarth) (11:47): (2020) My question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Can the minister inform the ratepayers across Surf Coast, Colac Otway, Corangamite and Moyne shires that the government’s almost doubling of the landfill levy will not lead to significant increases in next year’s council rates or large increases in waste disposal levies as these four shires struggle with increased waste costs for the nearly 6 million visitors that visit their region? The Great Ocean Road region has been grappling for years with a sustainable income stream to help pay the ongoing costs of the one-day tourism industry across the region. Despite a lot of consultation and debate across the region on the new Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority, this Andrews government has failed and refused to detail any plans or to allocate any funding to help with the rising costs of tourism. The doubling of the landfill levy will directly impact ratepayers, as councils will be forced to pass this cost on to already stressed families and businesses across these shires.