Shoalhaven City Council
Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes: Is the Minister aware that Blue Mountains City Council is exempt from paying the landfill levy and that Shoalhaven City Council, which houses one the most seriously disadvantaged communities in the State, is required to pay the landfill levy? Is the Minister aware of Census data which stated that “Shoalhaven’s unemployment rate is a high 11.1% compared to NSW at 7.2%, the average household income levels in Shoalhaven are low at $736 per week compared to $1,074 per week for NSW, and that the percentage of early school leavers is high at 58.8% compared to NSW at 43.8%”? Is the Minister aware that Shoalhaven is geographically located on the fringe of the regulatory requirements set by the NSW government, where the local government area is largely rural and remote from the recycling markets, but recycling performance is measured against the urban Sydney Councils? Can the Minister indicate what arrangements are in place in order to reduce or exempt Shoalhaven City Council from paying the landfill levy?
The Hon. Tony Kelly: On Thursday 8 May 2008, Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes asked a question without notice relating to the Shoalhaven City Council’s landfill levy. The Minister for Local Government has provided the following answer:
The NSW Waste and environment Levy is prescribed in section 88 of the Protection of the environment Operations Act 1997.
As this Act falls under the administration of the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, the Hon. Verity Firth, MP, the honourable member should redirect his question to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment.
