October 27, 2021
Mayors from a dozen councils covering southern and western Queensland – including the South Burnett – have signed up to a new joint waste management strategy.
The 10-member Darling Downs and South West Queensland (DDSWQ) Council of Mayors, along with the mayors of the South Burnett and Lockyer Valley councils, agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a quarterly meeting held on Sunday.
DDSWQ Council of Mayors chair Cr Paul Antonio said the move to establish a Regional Waste Management Strategy and Infrastructure Plan was a sensible step.
Cr Antonio is mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council.
“Every local government is mindful of how it can meet its legislative requirements covering waste management,” Mayor Antonio said.
“All of the mayors have identified waste as not only an emerging issue but an opportunity for councils to work together.”
The plan will focus on four key areas: waste strategy and targets, infrastructure requirements, transport logistics and regional economic development opportunities.
The MoU will specify how the 12 councils can work together on the process, including governance and cost-sharing arrangements.
Mayor Antonio said the development of the MoU and the plan had included working with the Department of Environment and Science and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.
He said this arrangement meant the plan not only met the councils’ objectives, but also the State Government’s objectives relating to waste reduction targets and economic development.
TRC councillor Nancy Sommerfield said the plan was designed to provide a comprehensive and cohesive framework for managing waste across the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
“Waste management is a costly exercise, so it makes economic sense to avoid duplication where possible,” Cr Sommerfield said.
“The move will help local authorities achieve better environmental outcomes with more options for diverting materials from landfill, while also opening up potential revenue streams from recyclable materials.”
The DDSWQ Council of Mayors includes member councils from Bulloo, Quilpie, Paroo, Murweh, Balonne, Maranoa, Goondiwindi, Western Downs, Southern Downs and Toowoomba Regional Council.
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