LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin has helped secure Kyogle Council’s permanent removal from the Regional Levy Area (RLA), saving ratepayers up to an estimated $400,000 a year in waste levy charges.
Ms Saffin announced the breakthrough after successfully lobbying NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe MLC, who granted a permanent exemption for Kyogle Council.
“This was always about equity; Council’s advocacy brief made an argument that they should never have been included in the RLA, and I was able to get a temporary four-year exemption as a commitment at the 2023 State election,” Ms Saffin said.
“Neighbouring Tenterfield Shire sat just outside the RLA and Kyogle’s strong case for exemption seemed fair on a comparative basis.
“Under current regulations, Kyogle would have been re-included in the RLA and would have had to recommence paying the waste levy from 1 July 2027, so I made a renewed lobby to avoid this situation at all costs.”
Minister Sharpe recently wrote to Ms Saffin, saying she was pleased to inform her that she had decided to grant a permanent exemption for Kyogle Council.
“The Government is committed to a fair and consistent framework for waste operators and councils regarding the waste levy,” Minister Sharpe wrote.
“In considering your request, I have considered a range of matters including projected population growth, waste generation and disposal trends, and potential waste flows between levied and non-levied areas.”
Kyogle Mayor Cr Danielle Mulholland OAM said: “The removal of the waste levy from Kyogle Council is something we have been lobbying for over a decade.
“To hear that we had been granted a temporary exemption gave us hope that perhaps we were getting some traction but to receive the news that it has been permanently removed — it’s not only exciting but we finally feel heard,” Cr Mulholland said.
“We would like to thank Janelle for her unwavering commitment to help us get this across the line and to Minister Sharpe for looking at the figures and recognising that our argument was valid. We are very grateful and pleased with this result.”
