Devastated charities will be slugged hundreds of thousands of dollars as Labor’s increased Bin Tax comes into play.
Hardworking charities, such as the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria, will be penalised by the government’s Municipal and Industrial Landfill Levy increasing by 60 per cent from 1 July 2021.
The increase is a callous move that the Liberal Nationals have previously called on the government to scrap. This massive bin tax hike will hurt Victorian charities at the worst possible time, just as they’re working to recover from the COVID-19 lockdowns and volunteer shortages.
It’s concerning that unlike other jurisdictions, the Andrews Labor Government appears to have no plan whatsoever to help protect charities against increase in its Bin Tax.
That’s despite the important work these charities do. Op shops, for example, divert over 158,000 tonnes of waste from landfill in Victoria and repurpose these products to help people in need. This contributes significantly to Victoria’s circular economy, with reuse being a critical aspect to improving waste outcomes in our state.
The Liberal Nationals again call on the Labor Government to give Victorian families, businesses and charities a break. Many of whom are still recovering from the brutal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Bridget Vallence:
“The last thing charities like the Salvos and Vinnies need right now is to be slugged with a whopping 60 per cent Bin Tax increase.
“It’s outrageous that the Andrews Labor Government plans to slug volunteer-run charities with this massive tax hike.
“Every additional dollar charities are forced to pay is a dollar that’s diverted away from important programs to help the most vulnerable people in our community.
“The Liberal Nationals are calling on the State Government to scrap this big, bad Bin Tax grab and give charities the much-needed relief they need.”
