Page 535 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 February 2020
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I also acknowledge, having regard to some of the answers I have received, that it is not a simple matter of someone just driving along and picking it up. Sometimes it will take more than one person. It may be a heavy item or a dangerous item, for example. It is not always simple, but we all have that shared desire for a clean and beautiful Canberra. We should do whatever we can do to make sure that that happens—to make sure that it is beautiful, that it is safe, and that we have not just visual amenity but physical amenity in our surroundings. We should reassure Canberrans, reassure our residents, that they are getting value for the money they are spending in their taxes, rates, fees and charges. I think that would go a long way towards people feeling that the government is listening to their concerns and dealing with littering and illegal dumping in a more timely manner.
Once again I would like to thank Mr Milligan for bringing this motion forward. It has a whole number of different elements to it, all of which are very important. I thank members for the general agreement on the topic. I hope that we can move forward and get a good result for Canberrans in terms of reporting issues and the actual fixing of the problem of littering and illegal dumping.
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (5.08): When we walk around our suburbs, we expect to be able to enjoy our public spaces without having to encounter plastic bags in lakes, old furniture on kerbs and household appliances piled next to charity bins. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes these things do occur. Household rubbish is often seen piled next to charity bins near shops, while abandoned cars are sometimes left on the side of the road. Occurrences such as these are not only an eyesore but potentially harmful to small children and wildlife.
The issues of illegal dumping and litter that this motion seeks to highlight are not, however, new. When I speak to constituents in Yerrabi, people raise with me the issue of litter. They view it as a cause for concern in the community, and I agree. They particularly raise the issue around charity bins. It is quite a talking point around Gungahlin.
In October last year this government passed the Litter Legislation Amendment Bill, which sought to address the complex issue of littering, illegal dumping and hoarding in a nuanced manner. The new framework for dealing with litter and illegal dumping tackles the issue in a holistic way. It recognises the numerous ways that littering can impact on public safety by improving the process for removing and disposing of abandoned vehicles and household goods, whilst also introducing new powers for officials to identify the owners of vehicles so as to sort out the situation in a more timely manner. The framework proactively discourages littering from occurring in our communities.
This government recognises, importantly, that litter and illegal dumping are a threat to the wellbeing of all Canberrans. Quite simply, it is an eyesore, and we have responded to this hazard by seeking to implement new and increased penalties for such offences. Fines and other low-level punishments work to deter potential offenders, ensuring that anyone littering or dumping large amounts of waste is appropriately penalised for the ongoing harm they cause to the community. But we also need to be honest and admit
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