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City of Gosnells passes controversial new waste laws

Francis CurroComment News

THE City of Gosnells passed its controversial waste laws during last night’s council meeting.

The City amended the waste laws, with the maximum fine now only $250 where as before residents could have been fined as much as $400.

Some hazardous rubbish had led to several truck fires, and items such as a goat carcass, gas bottles and asbestos had been found in some ratepayers’ bins.

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The City proposed new waste the laws at its August 23 council meeting for fines for depositing non-collectable waste, exceeding weight capacity and failing to keep bins in good condition.

Councillor Terry Healy was the only councillor to vote against the new law.

Cr Healy said the City had lost the battle early and the majority of people in Gosnells thought the council had gone too far.

Cr David Goode said he strongly supported the law and thought it was “extremely well drafted”.

Cr Glenn Dewhurst also expressed support and said it was the sort of thing that needed to stop.

Gosnells chief executive Ian Cowie said offenders would receive infringement and warning notices before fines were given.

The council agenda said: “the proposed local law is also necessary to provide the City with the ability to deal with those residents who continue to dispose of waste inappropriately.”

At the August 23 meeting, council resolved to give notice of its intention to make the City of Gosnells Waste Local Law 2016 a law.

The City received 32 public submissions and one of these was a change.org petition that got 509 signatures.

Of the 32 submissions received, three were in favour of the local laws, one was a business proposal, two provided comment and the remaining 26 submissions were against the local law.

Some of the issues that appeared in the submissions included education rather than regulation, subjectivity of the local law provisions, liability of land owners/occupiers for issues beyond control and the magnitude of the proposed penalties.